Political Plasticity: The Future of Democracy and Dictatorship

Description

Political plasticity refers to limitations on how fast, how much, and in what ways political behavior does (or does not) change. In a number of important areas of behavior, such as leader-follower relations, ethnicity, religion, and the rich-poor divide, there has been long-term continuity of human behavior. These continuities are little impacted by factors assumed to bring about change such as electronic technologies, major wars, globalization, and revolutions. In addition to such areas of low political plasticity, areas of high political plasticity are considered. For example, women in education is discussed to illustrate how rapid societal change can be achieved. This book explains the psychological and social mechanisms that limit political plasticity, and shape the possibility of changes in both democratic and dictatorial countries. Students, teachers, and anyone interested in political behavior and social psychology will benefit from this volume.

Fathali M. Moghaddam is Professor of Psychology at Georgetown University, USA, where he served as Director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Cognitive Science (2016-2021). He was Editor-in-Chief of the APA journal Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology (2014-2021). His most recent books include How Psychologists Failed: We Neglected the Poor and Minorities, Favored the Rich and Privileged and Got Science Wrong (Cambridge, 2023). He has won a number of prestigious academic awards.