Open lecture by Ronald Inglehart: Cultural Evolution - How People's Motivations are Changing and How this is Changing the World

Professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan, USA, and the Founding President of the World Values Survey, Ronald Inglehart gave an open lecture at the United Arab Emirates University in Al-Ain, UAE. Professor Ronald Inglehart is the 'father' of the Modernization theory and the winner of the prestigious Johan Skytte prize (2011). 

Cultural Evolution: How People's Motivations are Changing and How this is Changing the World

Cultural Evolution presents a new version of modernization theory that explains the rise of environmentalist parties, gender equality and same-sex marriage— and the current reaction producing Trump, British exit from Europe, and France's National Front.  It argues that people’s values and behavior are shaped by the degree to which survival is secure.  For most of history, survival was precarious and people emphasized strong in-group solidarity, rejection of outsiders and obedience to strong leaders. For under extreme scarcity, xenophobia is realistic: if there is just enough land to support one tribe and another tribe tries to claim it, survival may literally be a choice between Us and Them. Conversely, high levels of existential security encourage openness to change, diversity and new ideas.  The unprecedented prosperity and security of the postwar era brought cultural change, the environmentalist movement and the spread of democracy.  In recent decades, diminishing job security and rising inequality have led to an authoritarian reaction.

‹ back