Center for the Study of Democracy

This essay reviews some recent major research advances in comparative political behavior. We focus on a few major areas of research: political culture, political participation, value change, and electoral choice. I chose these areas for two reasons. First, I believe that these areas have made significant scientific advances in recent years. Second, although these examples are largely drawn from research on advanced industrial societies, they also are relevant to the process of transition for emerging democracies. These are areas where we can expand our present knowledge in the context of this global wave of democratization.