Rethinking Political Identity
Citizens and Parties in Europe
Published on 28. March 2025
Book
Hardback
322 pages
978-1-80088-152-5 (ISBN)
Description
In this precisely argued book, Colin Crouch questions the current meaning of political parties for citizens in Western Europe given that the identities on which they are based were the product of past conflicts over industrialization and religion. Crouch asks whether the issues confronting post and ex-industrial societies can develop their own political identities among citizens? And, if so, how far do these identities relate to the inheritance of the past?
Applying a theory of political identity, Crouch analyses voting behaviour across Europe and presents an in-depth historical analysis of the key political parties. He traces the content of party manifestos and the geographical and industrial status of parties' support. He argues that, far from following a model provided by the West, the faltering party systems in Central and Eastern Europe offer insights as to how western systems may develop in the future. Looking ahead, Crouch considers the viability of democratic politics, assessing the roles of gender, environmentalism and xenophobia in generating effective modern political identities.
Rethinking Political Identity is an invaluable resource for academics and researchers specialising in comparative European politics, political science, sociology and social policy, human geography and social history. It will also be of value to public policymakers and think tank professionals across Europe.
Applying a theory of political identity, Crouch analyses voting behaviour across Europe and presents an in-depth historical analysis of the key political parties. He traces the content of party manifestos and the geographical and industrial status of parties' support. He argues that, far from following a model provided by the West, the faltering party systems in Central and Eastern Europe offer insights as to how western systems may develop in the future. Looking ahead, Crouch considers the viability of democratic politics, assessing the roles of gender, environmentalism and xenophobia in generating effective modern political identities.
Rethinking Political Identity is an invaluable resource for academics and researchers specialising in comparative European politics, political science, sociology and social policy, human geography and social history. It will also be of value to public policymakers and think tank professionals across Europe.
Reviews / Votes
'What has happened to politics in Europe since WWII? In this masterful book about European identities, parties, exclusion and inclusion, Colin Crouch revives Pizzorno's insights in order to make sense of the reordering of European politics and the decline of strong political identities. Combining systematic historical data with sharp sociological and territorial analysis, the book is a tour de force to make sense of the structural transformations of European politics and the subsequent risks for democracies.' -- Patrick Le Gales, CNRS/SciencesPo, Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics, France 'In this refreshing book, Colin Crouch examines the emergence of new political identities, and their historical context, through the cross-cutting dimensions of exclusion versus inclusion and cultural versus material. Crouch reminds us that in the current world of multiple political identities, traditional ones and those generated by multiculturalism, internationalism and climate change, political value formation is not an individual choice, but an essentially collective task.' -- Stefano Bartolini, European University Institute, Italy 'Colin Crouch's essentially geographical approach helps to explain why most of the established political parties of Europe persist, yet come to represent and have the support of a declining share of the electorate, almost regardless of their performance whilst in government. An extremely valuable contribution.' -- Danny Dorling, University of Oxford, UKMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-80088-152-5 (9781800881525)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Colin Crouch, Professor Emeritus, University of Warwick, UK, Fellow of the British Academy and External Scientific Member, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne, Germany
Content
Contents
PART I EXCLUSION AND INCLUSION IN THE
FORMATION OF POLITICAL IDENTITIES
1 Political parties and social identities 3
2 Frameworks of analysis 27
3 European political parties since 1945 37
PART II PARTIES: THEIR POLITICAL STANCES AND
THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL BASES, 1945-2024
4 Consolidation of post-war western party systems: c. 1945 to
c. 1970 101
5 The age of (limited) dealignment: 1970s to c. 1989 133
6 From the collapse of the Soviet bloc to the eve of the
financial crisis (1990 to 2007) 177
7 From 2008 to the early 2020s: Rationalism or nationalism? 247
PART III CONCLUSIONS
8 Where are we now? Political identities in the 2020s 287
References 307
PART I EXCLUSION AND INCLUSION IN THE
FORMATION OF POLITICAL IDENTITIES
1 Political parties and social identities 3
2 Frameworks of analysis 27
3 European political parties since 1945 37
PART II PARTIES: THEIR POLITICAL STANCES AND
THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL BASES, 1945-2024
4 Consolidation of post-war western party systems: c. 1945 to
c. 1970 101
5 The age of (limited) dealignment: 1970s to c. 1989 133
6 From the collapse of the Soviet bloc to the eve of the
financial crisis (1990 to 2007) 177
7 From 2008 to the early 2020s: Rationalism or nationalism? 247
PART III CONCLUSIONS
8 Where are we now? Political identities in the 2020s 287
References 307