Applying Political Theory Issues and Debates [Hardcover]

Fully revised and extended, the new edition of this innovative and engaging textbook introduces the central elements of political theory from an applied perspective. Focusing on 12 high-profile contemporary social and political case studies, both domestic and global, this text shows how political theory illuminates and helps makes sense of important debates in public life.

This is the perfect introduction for students interested in how political theory can be used to help us solve the political questions of our time, whether at a beginners level, or building upon an introduction to theories and concepts.

1. Introduction.- 2. How Should Resources Be Distributed? Taxation, Welfare and Redistribution.- 3. Are Minority Cultures Entitled to Recognition and Rights?.- 4. Is Affirmative Action Fair?.- 5. Should Prostitution and Pornography Be Legal?.- 6. Should Same-Sex Marriage Be Legal?.- 7. Should the State Prohibit Euthanasia and Abortion?.- 8. Should Offensive Speech be Regulated?.- 9. What Should be the Limits to Whistle-Blowing and Other Citizen Protests?.- 10. Is Leaking Classified Information Justified?.- 11. Should Rich Countries Give More Foreign Aid?.- 12.Can Military Intervention into other Countries Be Justified on Humanitarian Grounds?.- 13.Should the Natural Environment Be Protected for Future Generations?.

Katherine Smits is Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. She writes and teaches in political theory, and is the author of Reconstructing Liberal Pluralism: From Interest to Identity (2005) and the co-editor of Feminist Moments: Reading Feminist Texts (2015). She is an award-winning teacher, and has published numerous articles and book chapters in the areas of liberal political theory  historical and modern, multiculturalism, identity politics, feminist political thought and nationalism.