2nd Edition
Culture and Politics A Comparative Approach
Culture and Politics provides a comprehensive introduction to the enduring phenomenon of culture and its impact on contemporary society and politics. Combining a substantial theoretical overview with intricate comparative empirical research, it assesses the complex interplay of ethnicity, religion, history and values on macro- and micro-level outcomes. Striking a judicious balance between the use of global data on the topic and their selection of six key in-depth country studies, the book draws extensively on statistical material and 'hard data' rather than the literary evidence usual in studies of this kind. This second edition of a well-established text has been expanded and fully updated in line with new events. More student-friendly, this volume now contains useful references for further reading and new material on ethnicity and religion. Readers will find that the values section is now more lucid. This clearly structured book's stringent approach to the topic and its readable, accessible style make this book one that no serious scholar or student of political culture should be without.
Biography
Jan-Erik Lane, University of Freiburg, Germany and Svante Ersson is Associate Professor at University of Umeå, Sweden.
'Culture and Politics is both important and timely...The authors have brought back in culture - a feature that appeared to have disappeared in today's approaches to politics and policy...a "must-read" for each and every student in comparative politics. The book is an important contribution to political science...not only academically important, but also a rich source of well-founded information for politicians, policy-makers and journalists. I will certainly use this book in my own work and for teaching political science.' Professor Hans Keman, Vrije University Amsterdam, President of the Dutch Political Science Association and Editor of Acta Politica 'Culture and Politics makes three important contributions: It charts a major field of research in terms of theories, concepts and data. It has a rigorous systematic comparative approach based on large sets of micro and macro data. And it is highly provocative, inciting further inquiries about a theme which is of outstanding relevance, both scientifically as well as politically.' Klaus Armingeon, University of Berne, Switzerland and Director, Institute of Political Science, Switzerland
