Examining three case studies of hydropower politics in China--one in which opposition to a project succeeded, one in which it failed, and one with a more murky outcome--Mertha (political science, Washington U.) finds that the fragmented authoritarianism model of Chinese politics developed in the mid-1980s remains applicable but with important revisions, noting that the politics of hydropower has become significantly pluralized. In making this argument he draws upon the public policy literature in American politics to look at the critical dimensions within Chinese hydropower politics of policy entrepreneurs, issues framing, and broad public support for policy change in order to show how fragmented authoritarianism has evolved since the 1980s. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)