Students value the book’s relevance to their experience of today’s world, its engaging, personal writing style, and the many intriguing examples (including more than 60 found in boxed discussions) from every part of the world, making concepts more vivid and memorable. The numerous political cartoons, compelling photographs, maps, and analytic diagrams effectively sustain students' interest and elaborate on key concepts. Instructors appreciate the book's comprehensive coverage of key theories and concepts and the logical manner in which it explores many of the interesting questions addressed by political scientists.