This is the third edition of an interdisciplinary text introducing political, social, and economic issues involved in debates about the meaning of Europe, the relationship between Europe and the European Union, the role and function of the EU, and related topics. The material is organized into sections on Europe and the wider world; country studies; the evolution, institutions, and policies of the European Union; and major issues and challenges. The first and last of these sections are almost entirely new, and the country studies now contain new sections on Russia, Turkey, and Cyprus. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)