The transformation of political systems is explored in this edited collection by assessing the relationships among political conflict, political development, and public policy. The continuous collapse and regeneration of political systems accompanied by violence and destruction are experiences shared by a majority of the world's population. Most often this larger phenomenon is conceived of in terms of political conflict, repression, and political development. This volume is devoted to exploration of this behavior as a means of understanding system transformation.

"The Regulation of Political Conflict" introduces a new unit of analysis for the study of political conflict: the conflict episode. The author then elaborates on regulation models appropriate for initiation through public policy. He discusses hypothetical causes of conflict, as presented in previous literature. Included is a description of the data base and data analysis strategies. A substantial portion of the book is devoted to identifying and testing a series of hypotheses relevant to the regulation of conflict behavior and various intervention strategies.

Although the control or regulation of political conflict is a constant concern of governments and a source of substantial speculation, empirical investigation of systems of regulation is a relatively recent enterprise. How destabilizing events such as separatism, trans-national disputes and decolonization are translated into political conflict through economic, political, and social systems is explored in this in-depth study of eight nations in southern Europe for the period 1946 to 1986.

This book is especially relevant in light of the recent conflicts that have exploded into civil war in Yugoslavia. It will be of great interest to political scientists, economists, social scientists, and others studying the conflicts within southern Europe.