With the end of the Cold War, the death of Communism, and the decline of Socialism, what are the primary issues, ideologies, and parties that now structure politics? Melzer, Zinman, and Weinberger have compiled essays from prominent experts to examine the politics of the past to help plot the political future. The first half of the volume addresses "Identity Politics" and "Big Government" and their respective places in the shaping of the United States political environment since the end of the Cold War. The second half of the volume focuses on the political climate in Western Europe, Russia, India, and China.

Contributions by: Todd Gitlin, Seyla Benhabib, Alan Wolfe, Alan Brinkley, James Ceaser, Harvey C. Mansfield, Delba Winthrop