Topics concerned with the experiments and problems of self-rule in Third World societies are presented in nine essays. The essays are: (1) "Democracy in Iran: The Untenable Dream" (John D. Stempel); (2) "Afghanistan's Struggle for National Liberation" (Hafizullah Emadi); (3) "Turkey's Experience with Political Democracy" (Paul J. Magnarella); (4) "Reasons for the Failure of Democracy in African Countries Which Have Become Independent Since 1960" (Roland Cartigny); (5) "The Establishment of Democracy in Pakistan" (Sirdar Shaukat Hyat Khan); (6) "Cosmic Revolutions: Indonesian Perspectives of Social Upheaval" (Ronald Provencher); (7) "Militarization in the Philippines" (P. N. Abinales); (8) "Latin American Democracy in the 1980s: Facade or Reality" (Judith Ewell); and (9) "United States Foreign Policy in Central America" (Donna Becker). (BZ)