The arena of global politics is a fast-changing and fascinating one, encompassing as it does the accelerating process of globalization, the ever-present threat of war, conflict and terrorism and the role of both key individuals and wider alliances of NGOs and protesters in influencing world events.The Essentials of Global Politicsis an essential reference book that guides the reader through these issues and many more, providing an overview of the most important contemporary events and themes. It straightforwardly presents the contextual information required to fully understand the world today, through a combination of maps, lists, key facts and summary information. It offers an accessible discussion of the effects that the processes of globalization have had on global affairs through a wide range of individual entries, grouped alphabetically within six main sections. Pointers to up-to-date references and websites for further reading and research are provided throughout, and the book is comprehensively cross-referenced to allow readers to pursue easily particular themes of interest. Accessibly written and including a wide selection and illustrations, The Essentials of Global Politicswill be an indispensable companion for students of politics, international relations and modern history, and a compelling source book for the general reader.