A continuation of The Theory of Matroids, (edited by N. White), this volume consists of a series of related surveys by top authorities on coordinatizations, matching theory, transversal and simplicial matroids, and studies of important matroid variants. An entire chapter is devoted to matroids in combinatorial optimization, a topic of current interest. Care has been taken to ensure a uniform style throughout, and to make a work that can be used as a reference or as a graduate textbook. Excercises are included.

The study of the democratic transitions of former Communist states has been fertile ground for students of politics. This book provides a novel "ground up" perspective by examining the ways in which ordinary people have viewed and responded to democracy. Examining a number of countries at different stages of transition, they argue that democracy has been understood differently in different places and with varying levels of approval. The authors define their research within the context of each country's history and relate their analysis to future prospects for reform.