Please Join Us for the Fifth SOCUP Brown Bag Lunch Meeting of the Semester!
Presentation Title: "The Structural Sources of Associational Life: A Cross National Analysis."
Presenter: Wesley Longhofer (Sociology)
Time: 12:00-13:00, Monday, April 4
Place: 915 Social Sociences Buidling
Wes will present his co-authored paper with Evan Schofer analyzing expanded associational life cross-nationally. They attempt to explain voluntary associations in the world with a neo-institutional perspective. Their paper abstract is linked below.
We analyze cross-national data on civil associations in the contemporary period to identify the factors associated with expanded associational life. It is well known that the strength of civil society varies dramatically across societies. The few studies that seek to make sense of this fundamental variation are either limited to small samples or hampered by crude measures. We draw on a new source to compile a systematic cross-national dataset on voluntary associations for a large sample of nations. The literature emphasizes the role of individual-level characteristics such as education and trust as sources of civil society. In contrast, we draw upon recent work by Skocpol and others, as well as arguments from neo-institutional theory to advance a series of more structural arguments about national polity characteristics that are conducive to expanded associational life. Arguments are tested using regression analysis in the contemporary period. Results support a variety of arguments, particularly state-centric and structural claims regarding the sources of associational life. Finally, we show that the distinctive national configurations of civil society observed around the world can be explained by national variation on just a few structural factors.
Posted by shin0104 at March 21, 2005 7:14 PM