Cultural Theory

Why do people want what they want? Why does one person see the world as a place to control, while another feels controlled by the world? A useful theory of culture, the authors contend, should start with these questions, and the answers, given different historical conditions, should apply equally well to people of all times, places, and walks of li

* Sociocultural Viability: An Introduction The Theory * Introduction to Part One: Against Dualism * The Social Construction of Nature * Making Ends Meet * Preferences * Ringing the Changes * Instability of the Parts, Coherence of the Whole The Masters * Introduction to Part Two: The Indispensability of Functional ExplanationMontesquieu, Comte, and SpencerDurkheimMarxWeberMalinowski, Radcliffe-Brown, and ParsonsMerton, Stinchcombe, and Elster Political Cultures * Introduction to Part Three: Cultures Are Plural, Not SingularThe Missing Ways of Life: Egalitarianism and FatalismAmerican Political SubculturesThe Civic Culture ReexaminedHard Questions, Soft Answers

Michael Thompson is director of the Musgrave Institute in London and honourary research fellow at the Department of Geography at University College London. Richard Ellis is assistant professor of political science at Willamette University. The late Aaron Wildavsky was professor of political science and public policy and a member of the Survey Research centre at the University of California at Berkeley. Michael Thompson is director of the Musgrave Institute in London and honourary research fellow at the Department of Geography at University College London. Richard Ellis is assistant professor of political science at Willamette University. The late Aaron Wildavsky was professor of political science and public policy and a member of the Survey Research centre at the University of California at Berkeley. Michael Thompson is director of the Musgrave Institute in London and honourary research fellow at the Department of Geography at University College London. Richard Ellis is assistant professor of political science at Willamette University. The late Aaron Wildavsky was professor of political science and public policy and a member of the Survey Research centre at the University of California at Berkeley. Michael Thompson is director of the Musgrave Institute in London and honourary research fellow at the Department of Geography at University College London. Richard Ellis is assistant professor of political science at Willamette University. The late Aaron Wildavsky was professor of political science and public policy and a member of the Survey Research centre at the University of California at Berkeley.