ABSTRACT
Cultural theory, or grid-group analysis, is a marvelous, mysterious beast. A compelling tool of social analysis, it is nonetheless viewed with wary fascination by the social science community, which tends to be intrigued by its aspirations toward comprehensiveness yet put off by some of its more exotic applications and terminology. This chapter explores some of the implications of the theoretical framework and its place in the social sciences. It provides some food for thought for political and social scientists and for the considerably smaller universe of cultural theorists, Cultural theory is ambitious. Although not claiming to be entirely original, it has sought to “capture the wisdom of a hundred years of sociology, anthropology and psychology.” Grid-group analysis is commonly referred to as cultural theory, or even Cultural Theory. Cultural theory posits that most individuals, not just elites, participate in the give-and-take of policy and institutional development.
