Suchergebnisse

Examines possible causal mechanisms in the relationship between television and political behavior and attitudes; US. Time replacement, dimensions of watching TV, TV variables, effect on attitudes, political efficacy, and "mean world syndrome".

An analysis of survey data on membership, pillarisation, voting behaviour and attitudes.Belgian society is traditionally portrayed as heavily pillarised, i.e. having a system of exclusive linkages between voluntary associations and political parties, resulting in the formation of a catholic, a socialist and a liberal 'pillar' within society. Recently, several authors have questioned the validity oft his model. Our survey of the Flemish population, however, shows that pillarisation is an enduring feature of Flemish society. Membership of voluntary associations, trade unions and health insurance organisations remains ideologically motivated, and shows a high degree ofconsistency in this respect. Integration into a 'pillar' exerts a strong influence on voting behaviour, although this effect weakens in younger generations. Pillars also have significant, but weaker effects on attitudes like individualism, trust and solidarity. In the social capital research tradition, these differential effects of membership are often neglected. Although there are signs that pillarisation weakens in Fiemish society, the system certainly has not disappeared.

In this article we present cross sectional survey data on the relation between structural characteristics of the Flemish population and a variety of social participation indicators. Based on the result of the TOR98 survey (n= 1341) we want to ascertain whether a number of social changes, which are often considered to be erosive for the willingness to participate, are indeed significantly linked to participation levels. More specifically, we study the relation with geographic mobility, the demise of a 'civic generation', the consequences of youth participation, television, marital instability and religious decline. Most of these factors do not have a significant effect on participation levels, with the exception of religious decline and marital instability. But even for these two variables, the effect is different from the one most authors would expect. These findings point in the direction of a change in participation patterns, rather than a genera! decline of participation levels.

Argues that most of the literature in favor of deliberative democracy fails to acknowledge the fact that access to deliberative procedures is not equally distributed throughout society. Empirical research shows that culturally & educationally privileged groups have far better chances to prevail in deliberation processes. Proponents of deliberative democracy neglect the fact that (1) persistent patterns of inequality within society tend to be reinforced during deliberation; (2) expecting disinterested participation from citizens is rather utopian; & (3) deliberative processes create new inequalities. Building on Michael Walzer's (1983) concept of complex equality, it is argued that a generalization of deliberative procedures can lead to a strengthening of inequalities by giving an undue advantage to those members of society with greater verbal & rhetorical skills. Proponents of deliberative democracy too easily assume that this procedure can simultaneously lead to a democratic & rational outcome. 44 References. Adapted from the source document.