The definitive guide to politics in our polarized times

Politics is everywhere. It touches almost every aspect of our lives. And it is present wherever individuals face collective choices. It is hardly surprising, then, that politics so often divides us, above all in an age in which the collective choices we face seem more daunting and more consequential than they have perhaps ever been.

Exploring what it means to 'think politically' in these troubled times, this cutting-edge textbook reveals the many dimensions of politics. It does so by opening a series of analytic lenses through which we can make sense of politics and its impact upon societies and individuals. Each chapter, written by a leading scholar in the field, encourages us to view politics in a particular way, making a succinct and focused case for the insight this brings to our understanding of political practice, political behaviour, and political outcomes. Among the perspectives considered are politics as power, politics as moral choice, politics as identification, politics as ritual, politics as rhetoric, and politics as crisis management.

Written with the new student in mind, this probing introduction will be essential reading for all those who strive to make sense of politics in today's world.

"If you would like the chance to think about politics differently, this is the book for you. It offers a sparkling collection of essays that illuminate the practice of politics through multiple and often unconventional perspectives that should expand your thirst to understand and research politics in new ways."
Gerry Stoker, University of Southampton

"Political scientists often struggle to explain what politics is, above and beyond what politicians do. Colin Hay's edited book, which gathers contributions from highly distinguished scholars of considerable intellectual diversity, makes it much easier for them to answer this genuinely difficult question."
Cecile Fabre, University of Oxford

Colin Hay is Professor of Political Science at Sciences Po, Paris, and founding Director of the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI) at the University of Sheffield.