The book has two chief qualities. The first is its uncompromising comparative scope and the subsequent complementarity of its parts. The editors avoid a common pitfall of edited volumes: lack of integration and unifying perspective... The second quality of the book lies in its ambition to transcend the boundaries of Southern Europe and draw insights from the understanding of that region's experience to be used more generally in the theoretical study of democratic consolidation... It is without doubt the best comparative work on Southern European politics to date.
Stathis N. Kalyvas Journal of Modern Greek Studies There is a wealth of information here, but the outstanding merit of this volume lies in its illuminating comparative analysis. Foreign Affairs Many of the contributions are required reading for anyone interested in the postauthoritarian politics of southern Europe.
Omar G. Encarnacion Comparative Politics