An updated, comprehensive, and thematic introduction to political philosophy, enabling readers to reflect critically on a variety of political issues.

Colin Bird is Associate Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia. He is the author of The Myth of Liberal Individualism (Cambridge, 1999), and his work has also appeared in numerous major academic journals including Ethics, Philosophy and Public Affairs, The American Political Science Review, Political Theory, Polity, and The European Journal of Philosophy.

Introduction; Part I. Politics and Critical Morality: 1. Forms of political criticism; 2. The common good; 3. Classical utilitarianism; 4. Utilitarian critical morality: implications and problems; 5. The social contract; 6. Contractualism 2.0; Part II. Topics in Political Philosophy: 7. Property and wealth; 8. Economic justice; 9. The significance of borders; 10. Responsibility for the environment; 11. War; 12. Liberty; 13. Democratic rule; Part III. Changing the World: Ideal Futures and Past Injustices: 14. Critical enlightenment, ideology, and materialism; 15. Ideal theory, race and reparation.