see page 27
Dilemmas
study
Equal Immigrant
Defense
Interaction
understanding
Educational
citizens
information
Illegal
Managing
Utility
Statistics
Elements
Privacy
Records
Parties
Market Initiatives
Models
Medicaid
theoretical
Solutions
elected
Inquiry
opportunities
Crime
rules
preferences Bureaucracy
Economic
Insurance Liberties
Method models
new
Causality issues
Debt
government
outcome Medical
Inference
Political Programs
Principal-Agent
Cooperation
Government
people
Collective
research
Solution
scientific
Charter
majority
Crisis
institutions
Rates
Risk
Regulation
approach
change
Increase
Foreign
Gains
Incentives
Charles Barrilleaux Christopher Reenock Mark Souva
Politics
without
without
stories
stories
Michael Zuckerman, University of Pennsylvania
Rogers M. Smith, Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania
9781107170841: Ricci: Jacket: C M Y K
david ricci
Politics
30
ricci
“Politics Without Stories is fresh, original and timely. It is one of those rare books that will rock the academic specialists and reach the legendary general reader. The book is the rich fruit of a lifetime of scholarship. David Ricci has a winning way with words and a knack for down-to-earth examples that will make his analyses as accessible to undergraduates as they will be stimulating to scholars. This is pathbreaking work.”
“Politics Without Stories offers a robust and self-confident account of how and why conservative Republican capacities for telling ‘alpha stories’ of God, America, and markets persistently triumph in US politics over liberal democratic preferences for technocratic frames geared toward pragmatic ‘problem solving.’ A steadily paced, lucidly delivered argument about the power of narratives that puts a decisively political spin on the ‘liberal predicament’ that Ricci effectively exposes in this astute no nonsense book.” Mary G. Dietz, Northwestern University
37
“David Ricci’s book is both a sketch for a history of modern political ideas and, in the best sense, a provocation. While the right offers a ‘story of magnificent markets’ menaced by big government, pragmatic liberalism retreats into policy lists and interest groups. So, as Ricci pungently writes, ‘at storytelling time the left is out to lunch.’ For this shortfall, thankfully, he offers no tidy remedy. Rather, he argues convincingly that ‘the liberal predicament is intractable.’ This cogent and chastening analysis is a shrewd and helpful guide through a dangerous political moment.”
Middle East government, politics, policy 38
see page 31
Barriers
substantive
Water
Speech
Formulation Reduce
Adherence
Income
War
Moral Statistical
Limitations
Minimum
Criminal
Probability
Schools
Social
Change
Taxes
Legislative
Cost
Care
scholarship
Bureaucratic
Institutions
Implementation
Action
Economics
Negative
Capital
Department
Externalities
Amendment
Rights challenges
Education
Act
choices
An Analytic Approach
Individuals
“David Ricci argues clearly and cogently that both modern liberal theories and modern liberal politics work against the crafting of grand stories of political meaning and purpose. He hopes that smaller stories of paths to humane improvements can strengthen liberal causes. Ricci’s compelling analysis defines central challenges liberals must confront, now and in the years ahead.”
Todd Gitlin, Columbia University
ISBN 978-1-107-17084-1
Printed in the United Kingdom Cover design: Andrew Ward
African government, politics, policy
Institutional
Police
Immigration
Redistribution
Punishment Failure Civil covers
Environmental
American government, politics, policy 31 Latin American government, politics, policy
contending
School
Reforms
Democratic Policymaking
European government, politics, policy 29 David Ricci is Professor of Political Science and History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He’s the author of several books, including Good Citizenship in America (2004) and Why Conservatives Tell Stories and Liberals Don’t: Rhetoric, Faith and Vision on the American Right (2011).
policies
Process
Agenda
Benefits Hazard
Unemployment
British government, politics, policy 28
Russian, East European government, politics, policy
Governance
Health Costs
People
Markets
Democracy
27
interests
National
Work
Analysis
Texts in political thought
Response
Delegation
Opinion
example
Economy
26
Goods
Credible
United States Model
Selection
Pollution
Homeland
History of ideas
Bargaining
Uncertainty
Strategies method
Right
Child
knowledge
Legal
22
tools
Political theory
Skepticism
19 Security
Political economy
hypothesis
8
individuals
International relations, international organisations
Commitment
1
public
Comparative politics
Game Theory
Contents
Liberal candidates, scholars, and activists mainly promote pragmatism rather than large and powerful narratives—which may be called “alpha stories” for their commanding presence over time. Alternatively, conservative counterparts to such liberals tend to promote their policy preferences in alpha stories praising effective markets, excellent traditions, and limited government. In this face-off, liberals represent a post-Enlightenment world where many modern people, following Max Weber, are “disenchanted,” while many conservatives, echoing Edmund Burke, cherish stories borrowed from the past.
see page 33
Politics Without Stories describes this storytelling gap as an electoral disadvantage for liberals because their campaigning lacks, and will continue to lack, the inspiration and shared commitments that great, long-term stories can provide. Therefore Ricci argues that, for tactical purposes, liberals should concede their post-Enlightenment skepticism and rally around short-term stories designed to frame, in political campaigns, immediate situations which they regard as intolerable. These may help liberals win elections and influence the course of modern life.
the liberal Predicament
9 781 1 07 1 70841 >
see page 35
40
South Asian government, politics, policy 42 South-East Asian government, politics, policy
43
East Asian government, politics, policy 44 Research methods in politics
46
Politics (general)
47
Also of interest
48
Information on related journals Inside back cover
S T R AT E G I E S F O R S O C I A L I N Q U I R Y
Case Study Research Principles and Practices JOHN GERRING Second Edition
see page 47