The present investigation looks at the recent success of ethnolinguistic politics as, largerly, the outcome of friction betweèn the existing -pattern of political integration and a set of relatively new · socio-economic conditions. The development of the latter is part of what may be implied in the phrase «post-industrial society». The Belgian pattern of political integration is characterized by very low levels of differentiation between the parties, the administration and the voluntary organizations. It implies a mode of political participation in (...) which the recent developments in the organization of labor, expansion of the tertiary sector, geographical mobility and urbanization lead to political marginality for the groupsconcerned. This marginality expresses itself in support for ethnolinguism which serves as an alternative route to political integration.This theory is evaluated and substantiated on the basis of an ecological analysis of the success of an ethnolinguistic party in the 1970 and 1976 communal elections. (shrink)

Our analysis indicates that it is correct to interpret non-participation and a vote for the Extreme Right as at least partly due to a legitimation crisis which seems to be the expression of a new alignment of values. This alignment describes a deep cultural cleavage that divides the higher from the less educated. People who hold pronounced positions on this alignment are more likely than others to turn away from the established, "traditional" parties. People with the values and attitudes typical (...) of the "progressive" or "new left'' side of the cleavage, vote disproportionately for the Greens. People with the values and attitudes typical of the "conservative" or "new right" side of the cleavage, opt disproportionately for non-participation and for the Extreme Right. In the recent political debate in Flanders, both non-participation and the Extreme Right have been regarded as symptoms of a legitimation crisis, and ofpolitical protest. The difference between the two expressions of cultural opposition or political protest can be understood as a choice for either an "exit" or a "voice" option. People select the "exit" option when they feel especially politically powerless. The "voice"-option is chosen by people for which the value conflict over the position of"migrants" is the most salient issue.The long term causes of the symptoms of a legitimation crisis seem to be the growing economic and cultural gap between the higher and less educated, and the ensuing growth of a conflict in which cultural and social-economic differences are strongly linked. (shrink)

Europa kende na de Tweede Wereldoorlog een periode van grote vooruitgang met toenemende gelijkheid, stijgende productiviteit, expansie van het onderwijs en fundamentele wetenschappelijke en technologische doorbraken. Maar in de jaren zeventig begon het tij te keren. In de eerste periode was het beleid gericht op de gemeenschap; in de tweede was het (neo)liberaal. Het nieuwe neoliberale regime droeg bij tot instabiliteit in Afrika en het Midden-Oosten, tot massale illegale migratie ook. In tal van westerse landen groeide de interne verdeeldheid. Sinds (...) 2008 is dit regime in diepe crisis. De vertrouwde vormen van gemeenschapsdenken - christendemocratie en sociaaldemocratie - zijn inmiddels zodanig geliberaliseerd dat zij niet in staat blijken terug te keren naar een beleid gestoeld op gemeenschapsdenken. Die taak valt vandaag het nationalisme te beurt. Dit boek verduidelijkt de aard en oorsprong van het verschil tussen gemeenschapsdenken en liberalisme. Het beschrijft hoe een reset mogelijk is. Hoe democratie kan worden hersteld, hoe kan worden teruggekeerd naar een vreedzamer wereld met meer welvaart, welzijn en vooruitgang."--Back cover. (shrink)

In this article, we examine whether problems of meaning are real. We begin by outlining the theory of meaningfulness that constitutes our point of departure. We then situate it within the context of the contemporary sociological debate about detraditionalization, thus clarifying our position in that debate. On the basis of those theoretical principles, we proceed to develop and test a number of hypotheses regarding the problems of meaning that might be produced by detraditionalization. Subsequently, we investigate the effectiveness of some (...) possible alternative sources of meaning. We conclude this paper by looking at the social implications of our findings. Our hypotheses will be tested using two surveys of young people. The first was carried out during the 1996-97 school year and involved students in the sixth year of secondary school . The second survey took place in the 1999-2000 school year and involved students in the fourth and sixth year of secondary school. (shrink)