Political Plasticity
The Future of Democracy and Dictatorship

The concept of political plasticity is a powerful new tool for understanding change and continuity in behavior.

Fathali M. Moghaddam (Author)

9781009277167, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 5 January 2023

192 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.2 cm, 0.34 kg

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.

List of Figures
Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Political plasticity, the key to understanding the future of democracy and dictatorship
2. Hard-wiring inside and outside people
Part I. Political Plasticity and Behavioral Continuity: 3. Why do leaders still exist? Leadership and followership
4. Rich and poor – still just as different
5. Ethnicity is forever
6. Religion, eternally present but with a thousand faces
7. The built environment and behavioral continuity
Part II. Change Agents, in Theory and Practice: 8. Revolutions and political plasticity
9. War as transformative
10. Technology forces change
11. Globalization and deglobalization
Part III. Looking Ahead: 12. The eternal dictator and political plasticity
Afterword. Lessons learned: The example of women in education
Notes
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Political structures: totalitarianism & dictatorship [JPHX], Political structures: democracy [JPHV], Political science & theory [JPA], Social, group or collective psychology [JMH]