This book, originally published in 1991, assesses how attitudes, political orientations and social values changed during the five decades after the Second World War. The case studies in the book focus on key ‘sites’ in political culture: in France, on the extreme right, the cinema, the impact of media personalities and changes of political discourse; in Germany, on the decline of regional identities, the emergence of specific issues and the concern of political parties with the effectiveness of language. This interdisciplinary study provides new insights into the way French and German people see themselves.

This book, originally published in 1991, assesses how attitudes, political orientations and social values changed during the five decades after the Second World War. The case studies in the book focus on key 'sites' in political culture: in France, on the extreme right, the cinema, the impact of media personalities and changes of political discourse; in Germany, on the decline of regional identities, the emergence of specific issues and the concern of political parties with the effectiveness of language. This interdisciplinary study provides new insights into the way French and German people see themselves.

How do France and Germany compare in the world of participatory political communities? This volume sets out an impressive historical, theoretical and institutional framework for a comprehensive, comparative and empirical analysis of the forms, patterns, trends and determinants of citizen participation in two of Europe's largest democracies. Written by an international team of political scientists, it starts with an outline of the participatory traditions in both countries before turning to the theoretical foundations of empirical research regarding the role of political participation in modern democracies. It provides an overview of how the perception of political participation has changed over the years and the forms of both conventional participation, particularly with regard to electoral participation, and unconventional participation like protest and other new forms of citizen involvement are analysed in detail. Exploring new approaches in participation research, social participation is seen as not just correlating with political participation, but as a specific form of civic engagement in itself. A broad range of activities, such as electoral and party related participation, political protest, participation in voluntary associations, voting in referenda and taking part in dialogue-orientated participatory activities is examined and the analysis identifies which societal, institutional and cultural factors account for the differences and similarities between the two countries.

Reprint of the Knopf edition of 1972 with a new (8pp.) introduction by Fritz Stern. Now printed on acid-free paper. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This volume seeks to get behind the surface of political events and to identify the forces which shaped politics and culture from 1680 to 1840 in Germany, France and Great Britain. The contributors, all leading specialists in the field, explore critically how 'culture', defined in the widest sense, was exploited during the 'long eighteenth century' to buttress authority in all its forms and how politics infused culture. Individual essays explore topics ranging from the military culture of Central Europe through the political culture of Germany, France and Great Britain, music, court intrigue and diplomatic practice, religious conflict and political ideas, the role of the Enlightenment, to the very new dispensations which prevailed during and after the French Revolution and the Napoleonic watershed. The book will be essential reading for all scholars of eighteenth-century European history.