This book weaves a set of extended case studies of 11 core countries into its narrative. Serving as touchstones, the cases are set in chapters where they make the most sense topically-not separated from theory or in a separate volume-and vividly illustrate issues in cross-national context. In this edition, a new chapter on Contentious Politics ties together content on ethnic fragmentation, social movements, civil war, and revolutions, and adds significant new material from the growing literature on political violence.