ABSTRACT
The most compelling counter theory to that of political culture to explain action has come from those students working under the "rational choice" paradigm, sometimes called the "economists". This chapter highlights the controversy as it exists in another discipline-anthropology-where cultural explanations are far more sophisticated than in political science. It shows that at least part of the real merit of Abner Cohen's Hausa study lies in his compelling interpretation of urban Hausa culture-a thick description of no small achievement. The chapter presents some comments on the relative value of the "thick descriptions" of cultural theory and the causal explanations of rational choice theory in social science research. Clifford Geertz and Cohen differ in their definition of "culture," in their prescriptions on how to study it, and finally in their views concerning the ultimate goals of their discipline. Abner Cohen postulates that the source of action lies in strategic choice.
