Russell J. Dalton & Christian Welzel
Center for the Study of Democracy, University of California, Irvine
Center for the Study of Democracy, Leuphana University, Lüneburg, Germany
March 11, 2011 - SBSG 1511

The World Values Surveys are an incomparable data source to map global cultural differences and to trace cultural change around the world. Moreover, their development overlaps with a period of tremendous cultural change in many regions of the world. Societies all over the globe are experiencing a number of key cultural trends, which include, decline of deference to authority, an increasing emphasis on freedom of expression and equality of opportunities, growing social and political tolerance, growingly emancipative orientations towards the role of women, a diffusion of protest politics, rising happiness, and increasing emphasis on democratic principles combined with greater dissatisfaction with the democratic process and institutions in practice. For the first time, various prominent scholars who have collaborated on the World Values Surveys on different aspects of these changes are brought together to take stock of the key insights and unresolved puzzles. Since all contributions share a comparative and longitudinal perspective, this project presents the broadest available evidence on the theme of global cultural change. On a rich empirical data base, the project portrays the collective mindsets that are shaping the future of the world.

The findings will be presented at two conferences. The first is at Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany that assembles the European participants. The second is at the University of California, Irvine for the North American participants. We greatly appreciate the support of the Center for the Study of Democracy at UC Irvine, the Center for the Study of Democracy at Leuphana University, the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung, and the Institute for European Studies at UC Berkeley for their support of this project and the conferences.
 

9:00   
Welcome to Irvine
Russell Dalton & Chris Welzel

9:30   
Global Cultural Changes:  Chair, Yuliya Tverdova
Paul Abramson: “Critiques and Counter-Critiques of the Postmaterialism Thesis: Thirty-five Years of Debate”
Neil Nevitte: “The Decline of Deference Revisited: Evidence after 25 Years”

11:30-1:00 Lunch Break

1:00   
Images of Government and Democracy: Chair, Bernie Grofman
Russell Dalton & Doh Chull Shin: “Reassessing The Civic Culture Model”
Alejandro Moreno & Christian Welzel: “Values and Popular Views of Democracy in Global Comparison”

2:30    Break

3:00   
The Impact of Value Change: Chair, Carole Uhlaner
Pippa Norris: “Mecca or Oil? Why Arab States Lag in Gender Equality”
Robert Rohrschneider: “Value Change and Environmentalism”

4:30   
Ronald Inglehart: “A Reflection on the World Values Survey and its Impact”