ABSTRACT

Culture Matters explores the role of political culture studies as one of the major investigative fields in contemporary political science. Cultural theory was the focal point of the late Aaron Wildavsky’s teaching and research for the last decade of his life, a life that profoundly affected many fields of political science, from the study of the presidency to public budgeting. In this volume, original essays prepared in Wildavsky’s honor examine the areas of rational choice, institutions, theories of change, political risk, the environment, and practical politics.

chapter |18 pages

Introduction

part One|38 pages

Rational Choice and Cultural Choice

part Two|32 pages

Institutions and Culture

part Three|30 pages

Cultural Theories of Change

part Four|30 pages

Risk and Culture

chapter Seven|12 pages

The Depoliticization of Risk

chapter Eight|16 pages

What’s Special About Cancer?

part Five|40 pages

Culture and the Environment: Empirical Studies

part Six|28 pages

Cultural Theory and Practical Policies