The Changing Basis of Political Conflict in Advanced Western Democracies

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiii

   PDF

2. Introduction: The Forces Producing the New Politics of Identity

   • Alan Arwine, Lawrence Mayer

   Pages 1-18

3. Political Change in a Stable Two Party State: The United States

   • Alan Arwine, Lawrence Mayer

   Pages 19-45

4. The Netherlands: Politics in a Fragmented Culture

   • Alan Arwine, Lawrence Mayer

   Pages 46-70

5. Belgium: The Politics of Extreme Segmentation

   • Alan Arwine, Lawrence Mayer

   Pages 71-93

6. Conclusion: Patterns of Change in Advanced Western Democracies

   • Alan Arwine, Lawrence Mayer

   Pages 94-115

7. Back Matter

   Pages 116-119

   PDF

Political conflict in Western democracies has traditionally emerged from politics rooted in competing ideologies and interests. With the rise of politics of identity, political conflict is morphing as political parties align themselves with identities, rather than ideologies or interests.

• conflict
• constitution
• Electoral System
• Europe
• parliament
• politics
• democracy

"In this new book, Arwine and Mayer provide an insightful and well-informed analysis of how the basis of political conflict has been changing in the U.S. and other advanced industrial societies. Fifty or sixty years ago, people's political loyalties largely reflected their social class and religious denomination. Today how people vote is more strongly shaped by cultural and ethnic differences, with sharp disagreements over such issues as same-sex marriage, abortion rights and immigration. This book helps us understand why, although income inequality has risen sharply in recent decades, efforts to offset this trend have been surprisingly weak." - Ronald Inglehart, Lowenstein Professor of Political Science and Research Professor at the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, USA

• The University of Kansas, USA

  Alan Arwine

• Texas Tech University, USA

  Lawrence Mayer

Author Alan T. Arwine: Alan T. Arwine is a Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Kansas. Author Lawrence C. Mayer: Lawrence C. Mayer is a Professor of Political Science at Texas Tech University.

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