DeLue and Dale actively engage students not only in the discourse of Western political theory, but most importantly how they think about civil society: how it is and how it ought to be. The readings allow students to critically explore the relationship between individual citizens and non-citizens, governments, and non-governmental groups that both frame and signify core values and issues ... Read morewithout the polarization of popular politics today. Their approach allows students to question and develop their political ideas, which is the purpose of a liberal arts education. JoAnne Myers, Marist College Steven DeLue and Timothy Dale have produced a comprehensive textbook that lays an excellent foundation in political theory. Building on the success of previous editions, the authors brilliantly present a thorough, fair treatment of the political theory canon and beyond. Through the application of classical, modern and postmodern traditions in political philosophy to the core concept of civil society, DeLue and Dale accomplish what few other texts have been able to achieve: a textbook that is accessible, interesting and useful for students. This is the ideal textbook for teaching and learning political theory. Joseph J. Foy, University of Wisconsin Colleges Show Less