Democratization is a major political phenomenon of the age. This study argues that our perspectives on democratization reflect the intellectual origins of the inquiry. How we see and understand it are influenced by what we bring to the table. By considering democratization across a range of disciplines, from anthropology and economics, to sociology, law and area studies, this volume offers a rich combination of analytical frameworks, distinctive insights and leading points of concern. On one level the book provides anyone interested in democratization with a wide-ranging distillation of the main themes, issues and topics, concisely written by specialists. On a second level the book advances the case for a broadly-based comparative study which includes Europe and North American alongside developing regions, while maintaining the belief that a multidisciplinary approach enhances our understanding of democratization far more than that of a narrow political science view. The book is aimed at students of politics willing to explore the boundaries of their subject and all social scientists who need an introduction to this important contemporary phenomenon.