North South University

Department of Political Science and Sociology

POL101: Introduction to Political Science

Semester: Spring 2024
Section: 24

Assignment Type: (e.g., Individual Assignment/Literature Review)

Title: Political Culture and Political Socialization

Submitted To:
Dr. Akram Hossain
Assistant Professor

Submitted by:
Name:Rafrat Raiyan Turjo
ID:2011747043
Candidate No.2
Name:Md. Farsid Raad
ID: 2231619030
Candidate No. 21

Word Count: 822 (800 +/- 10%)

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Political Culture:

Political culture shapes attitudes and behavior towards politics, differs worldwide and

influences decision-making. Consensus building characterizes Japan, while

assertiveness characterizes the United States. Understanding cultural changes like

Inglehart's theory is crucial, even if the change occurs slowly. Historical and cultural

contexts that are difficult to manipulate influence social change.(P.304-306,Shively)

Analysts study citizens' opinions about the state, civic duties, values ​and political

priorities.Almond and Verba examined the role of citizens in democracy and

uncovered state differences. Inglehart examines the development of social values

​along the dimensions of traditional versus secular/rational and survival versus

self-expression.(P.307-309,Shively)

RELIGION AND POLITICAL CULTURE:

Religious influence on politics is increasing despite declining participation in North

America and Europe.Factors include a decline in class conflict and better

communication. The global impact of political Islam reflects several factors. The

values ​between Islamic and Western societies show fewer differences than

expected. (P.310-311,Shively)

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION:

Political socialization, which is crucial for the survival of political culture, takes place

in childhood and adolescence. The family, schools and peer groups are important

players.While parents shape basic attitudes, schools and governments influence

political beliefs with varying degrees of success. The period after the reunification of

Germany illustrates the influence of political institutions on the cultural differences

between East and West Germany. (P.312-314,Shively)

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Media and its Role:

The role of the media in political socialization has evolved towards partisan and

argumentative content. Traditional nonpartisan models have been replaced by

specialized media outlets such as Fox News and MSNBC that cater to specific

ideological tendencies. This shift is influencing audience beliefs and attitudes,

reflected in different perceptions on issues such as the Iraq War.Globally, the

expansion of media channels, including Al Jazeera, and citizen journalism through

blogs and social media reinforces this trend, targeting audiences receptive to their

preferred sources.(P.315-316,Shively)

POLITICAL CULTURE AND THE “DEMOCRATIC CITIZEN” :

In a democracy, there is a unique balance between authority and legitimacy in the

relationship between government and citizens. Unlike authoritarian regimes,

democratic citizens are expected to be critical but supportive. Ideal democratic

citizens show tolerance for different opinions, actively participate in political actions,

maintain a high level of interest and information, and show varying levels of support

for the state, regime and government officials and are willing to vote for them when

necessary.

.Citizen performance in democracy includes key aspects:

1. Tolerance: When supporting minority rights, practical tolerance may be delayed

as some advocate restrictions on certain political groups.

2. Active Participation: Voting is important, but broader participation varies and not

all citizens fully agree with democratic ideals.

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3.Interest and information: Although they express interest, many lack political

knowledge and struggle with basic information about the candidates and how the

government works.

4. Support for the state and the regime: There is skepticism towards officials, but

citizens express abstract support for the state and the regime, although trust in

institutions varies due to factors such as perceived corruption. (P.317-322,Shively)

Social Capital:

Although citizens in democracies show varying levels of engagement, tolerance,

and support for political institutions, there are generally significant differences

between democratic ideals and actual behaviors and attitudes.

This passage highlights the importance of social capital, democratic development,

and trends in democratic legitimacy around the world:

1. **Social Capital and Democratic Effectiveness**: Active participation in voluntary

organizations such as labor unions improves democratic governance.

2. **US Social Capital**: Although civic participation is historically high in the United

States, it is facing decline, perhaps reflecting greater individualism.

3.**Democratic Development in West Germany**: After World War II, West Germany

experienced advances in democratic values ​that promoted trust and institutional

pride.

4. **Decline in US Democratic Legitimacy**: Despite compromises, trust in the US

government has declined since the mid-20th century.

5. **Impact of loss of trust**: The decline in trust in government raises concerns

about the stability of democracy and affects its effectiveness and legitimacy despite

citizen engagement.In summary, the passage highlights the fundamental role of

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social capital, trust and civic engagement in sustaining democratic systems while

pointing to differences in democratic development and legitimacy between different

nations.(P.323-326,Shively)

Comment:

In the given literature the author stated the importance of political culture. It is clear

that political culture varies a good deal from one state to another and that it is

responsible for major differences in how politics is conducted. The role of political

culture in political science theory is somewhat like the role of history. Essentially,

building theories of political science is a search for levers that might at least

potentially help us to change society. This is why almost all political science theory is

causal. Then the author stated the importance of religion in political culture. For

religious beliefs there were many conflicts in the past such as abortion and

homosexual rights in the United states. Which made it the facet of political culture.

References:

● Shively, W. (2019). Power Choice: An introduction to Political science (15th

ed.) [Print]. The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc.