Anthropology and Political Science

That the best-laid plans of western peace-makers and democratizers are often thwarted by existing cultural norms is widely recognized today. Aronoff (political science, anthropology, and Jewish studies, Rutgers U.) and Kubik (political science, Rutgers U.) make the case that anthropologists and political scientists should work together to explore this phenomenon. Concepts and methods of study of the respective fields are discussed with a view to creating an interdisciplinary approach. Methods of research, including those of ethnography and case studies, are considered at length. Emphasis is given to the value of anthropology for informing political science rather than the other way around – the question of what political science can learn from anthropology gets an entire chapter. While exploring the convergent approach, the authors also critically examine diverse perspectives on the Arab-Israeli conflict, post-communist Europe and other contexts where existing cultural traditions and beliefs have often complicated efforts to achieve social and political goals. Annotation c2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Jan Kubik is Professor of Political Science at Rutgers University and the incoming Director of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London.