This textbook goes beyond the traditional material covered in the field of political sociology by combining historical, conceptual, theoretical, and empirical approaches in presenting information. The text is organized into four major parts - the field of political sociology; varieties of power and power structure; electoral politics; and ideology, development and democratization - each part consisting of chapters full of pertinent issues. Along with coverage of the post cold war and ethnic nationalism, this text exposes students to major developments and changes both within the United States and around the world. Using a variety of approaches such as conflict, elitist, class, functionalist, and realist, the author's varied background comes through, a background consisting of an education in two countries, experience in civil wars and conflicts, time spent in the armed forces and twenty-five years of teaching courses on Politics and Society.