Healthcare is one of modern society's most crucial arenas - costly, important and controversial. This comprehensive two-volume collection brings together more than fifty scholarly articles on both healthcare systems in general and health reform in particular. The editors have carefully selected papers by leading academics which will enhance our understanding of the central feature of social and political life. The articles are distinguished by their clear prose and wide disciplinary range. The volumes are an essential reference resource for students, and practitioners interested in this topical field.