Schumaker, Paul . From Ideologies to Public Philosophies: An Introduction to Political Theory . Malden , MA : Blackwell Publishing , 2008 . ISBN: 978-1-4051-6835-9 ( 504 pp. , $49.95 ). Schumaker's book is a lucid and engaging introduction into the universe of political ideas. While primarily designed as a textbook, anyone interested in learning and thinking more deeply about political ideologies would benefit from reading it. The book does not aim to provide a detailed history of political thought or a comprehensive survey of canonical political thinkers. Rather, it presents the reader with descriptions of a variety of ideologies and their answers to fundamental political questions. By offering a rich repertoire of perspectives, and by encouraging critical comparative analysis, the book helps its readers-come up with their unique political outlooks. The book is organized in a rather unusual way. It opens with a general overview of the major ideologies of the past two centuries (e.g., classical liberalism, contemporary conservatism, fascism) and a wide array of current quasi-ideologies (e.g., democratic socialism, cosmopolitanism, Islamic fundamentalism). Each quasi-ideology is treated under one of four major headings: radical left, radical right, extreme left, and extreme right. After these introductory chapters, the book segues into a discussion of the various philosophical assumptions underlying these ideologies. Each chapter in this section of the book is devoted to the answers these ideologies provide to one specific and essential philosophical question, such as the problem of ontology (e.g., “Is ultimate reality essentially material, ideational, or supernatural?”), of human nature (“What are the basic human motivations?”), or of society (“What are the features of a good society?”). Examining the philosophical foundations on which political ideologies are built enables the reader to both understand and assess these ideologies more accurately. Finally, the last part of Schumaker's work is reserved for the so-called “perennial questions” of politics and the way these are approached by the various ideologies and quasi-ideologies previously discussed in the book. These questions range from the limits of government to the nature of rulers, from the desirability of change to the ideal distribution of wealth. The way the book is organized—by philosophical questions rather than by ideologies—renders some chapter-to-chapter repetition inevitable. While this might prove disruptive to more advanced readers, it is likely to facilitate and reinforce the learning of the basics of political thought for novice students. Given the increasingly polarized political environment in the United States, one major virtue of the book is the author's efforts to highlight the commonalities shared by liberals and conservatives, as well as the adherents of other ideologies that the author describes as “friends of pluralism.” Schumaker defines pluralism as “a public philosophy that affirms the legitimacy of many interests, identities, and ideas that often compete with one another and emphasizes democratic procedures for reconciling differences, if only tentatively and temporarily” (p. xiv). Pluralism, according to the author, is the most basic philosophy guiding politics in the United States and in many other countries today. Communism, fascism, or various forms of religious fundamentalism, on the other hand, reject the basic tenets of pluralism. As long as ideologies do not claim a monopoly on the nature of truth and the ingredients of the good life, they can safely be regarded as residing within the domain of pluralism. According to the author, a broad consensus is achievable within this domain through negotiations and democratic processes, even among people with initially different ideas. This, Schumaker explains, requires shedding dogmatism, absolutism, and rigidity, and cultivating empathy and tolerance instead. Admittedly, these are lofty goals easier said than achieved. Nevertheless, with its clear-headed, civil, critical (yet balanced) discussion of these crucial issues, the book inspires a sense of its possibility. Schumaker conceives of politics as one big conversation, and with this book, he invites the readers to enter it—as informed citizens, who are capable of respectfully listening to different voices that seek to be heard and thoughtfully evaluating their merits and limits. We believe it is an invitation worth accepting. PELIN KESEBIR (kesebir@illinois.edu) is a PhD candidate in Social Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She holds a BA degree in International Relations and attended the 2007 Summer Institute in Political Ideology. CHI-YUE CHIU (cychiu@illinois.edu) is a professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois and a Business professor at the Nanyang Technological University. His research addresses the co-evolution of society, culture, and human psychology.