Political Culture

This page will introduce you to a number of aspects of political culture. Of interest here are the many ways in which members of a society acquire and pass along their attitudes and values about the political system. The particular values that hold sway, as well as the relative influence and methods of these agents, vary across societies to produce fairly distinctive cultures and political systems. 

Agents of political socialization play a fundamental role in this transmission of values that creates subgroups, hierarchies, and power relationships within any society. 

In this section, you will find links pertaining to the family, the media, education systems, religion, and the workplace that will help you to understand the influence of these factors on members of any society. In many cases the influence of an agent of socialization lies as much in the reaction of an individual to the agent's activities as in the person simply absorbing and accepting what occurs. 

CULTURE & POLITICS 

"Processes of State Formation and Nation Building," by Norbert Elias, looks at the sociology of creating a national culture. 

Information on, and selected texts of, important writers on the sociology and theory of culture can be found at: 

Several writings of the founding communist writers are crucial to understanding Marxist views of the nature of society, social relationships, class structures, and how they bear upon economic and political systems. You can find a wider range of Marxist writings at: the Marx/Engels Internet Archive, the Lenin Internet Archive, the Trotsky Internet Archive, and the Mao Tse-Tung Internet Archive. However, a few key examples include:  The Voice of the Shuttle Cultural Studies Page provides a long list of annotated links to sites dealing with theories of cultural formation. 

Ethnic and Linguistic Diversity
Ethnic diversity has an important influence on the nature of a state's political culture. You can get an idea of the ethnic composition of Canada's population by viewing Statistics Canada's table of the25 largest ethnic groups reported in  the 1996 Census. 

The 1996 Census data provides further information relevant to the diversity in ethnic, linguistic, and national origins of Canadians:  The number of immigrants and their national origins vary widely from province to province in Canada, creating distinctive regional cultures and outlooks on social and political issues. You can examine this factor with data from the 2001 Census on selected ethnic origins: Canada, the provinces and territories. The provincial variation in linguistic groups is equally important; look up Population by mother tongue: Canada, the provinces and territories. 

For information on demographics in the United Kingdom, connect to United Kingdom in Figures. 

For information on demographic issues in the United States, connect to:  Some effects of income can be seen in these tables from the U.S. Census Bureau on Income Poverty and Health Insurance Estimates and Selected Characteristics of Households and Families by Quintile 1996. 

The caste system in India has created powerful divisions that have survived the government's attempts to abolish caste. For some information on caste, connect to: 

AGENTS OF POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION 

The Family
Within families, one learns much about the use and abuse of power relations, discipline, gender roles, whom to trust and whom to help, what responsibilities one bears to others, as well as countless other values which arise in daily living and discussions. All of these have some bearing on our political values and beliefs, and how we view our relationship with the larger society around us - and to the state itself. 

Kearl's Guide to the Sociology of Family provides a wealth of information about the structures and roles of families. 

Data from Stats Canada provides some insight into the number and type of family units in Canada, the changing size of Canadian families over time, as well as the marital status of Canadians.

United States: 





The Media
For a list of Canadian and international media sites, connect to Nelson's Politics in the News site. A huge collection of media-related resources can be found at the Journalism Net site.

The media have a very powerful influence in any society and, because of that, have become a subject of much study. Connect to the Voice of the Shuttle Media Studies Page for a range of annotated links to related sites. 

Noam Chomsky is a vocal critic of the power of the media and how it is exercised. Visit the Chomsky Archives to find out more. One relevant document is a report on an interview he gave in which Chomsky warns of propaganda from those who control the media.

NewsWatch Canada provides a critical view of Canada's media coverage and keeps track of the top stories that have gone un- or under-reported. One study by NewsWatch found a strong pro-business bias in reporting. 

Quite apart from biased reporting, the media occasionally suffer from manufactured news or faulty research. In 1998,CNN had to retract a story that alleged U.S. troops had used nerve gas in Operation Tailwind in Laos in 1970. This is only one of many embarrassing retractions for media companies. 

The concentration of ownership of media outlets can drastically reduce the range of opinions and news stories to which the public has access.  To understand the vast reach of the largest American media companies, visit Aaron Moore's  Who Owns What at the Columbia Journalism Review. 


Religion
The world's wide variety of religions have very powerful influences on societies and cultures. 

Look up a table from the 2001 Census that reveals Canada's population by religion. 

Some concrete connections between religion and politics are made in debates over the connection between church and state. Larry Paul maintains an extensive site on Church & State political science writings, with connections to American viewpoints on both sides of the issue. 

In the United Kingdom, the Church of England is officially tied to the state, with the Queen serving as both head of state and head of the church. There is much debate over whether this connection should continue. The National Secular Society argues that it is time to disestablish the Church. 

Religion has a far broader impact on how devotees structure their views of society and the values that should be pursued. To learn more about the main tenets of religions around the world, connect to the following sites: 

The social practice of caste in India is based upon Hindu beliefs in the stages of life.

Even the absence of religious beliefs can have an important impact on an individual's or society's values and practices. You can find out more at many sites dedicated to atheism. 



Education
Statistics Canada provides a range of information on Education in Canada. 

United States: Educational Attainment of People 25 Years Old and Older By Sex March, 1997

Explore a number of sites that deal with different theories and methods of education. 

The College Fund UNCF (originally called the United Negro College Fund) provides an important insight into the need to promote education among African Americans in order to overcome society's inequalities. 

From the Australian Humanities Review: 

The Workplace
LaborNet provides a wealth of information and links to Web sites dedicated to labour, union, and workplace issues. They have a very extensive listing of union sites around the world. 

The International Labour Organization has a wide range of material available at its Web site, including a section on International Labour Standards & Human Rights. 

Also, connect to the Canadian Labour Congress for a perspective on workplace issues in Canada.

For important union sites in other countries, connect to: 

Visit Statistics Canada to see data on Labour employment and unemployment. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has a useful page on Union Membership. 

The Statistics Canada provides some interesting stats in its current Labour Force Survey.  HRSDC has published a 2004 report on union membership in Canada.