Defining the region of southern Europe as encompassing Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece, Magone (international studies, U. of Hull, UK) explores the political developments of the past couple decades, focusing on the impact of the European Union on the four countries' political systems. He argues that this region represents the first wave of semi-periphery democratization, a process that was immensely aided by European integration. One of the major factors promoting stabilization was the flow of structural funds linking the southern underdeveloped region with the prosperous north. This process was accompanied by the increasing strength of "civil society" in the south. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)