Reviews
"Amid continuing speculation about culture wars and an erosion of traditional values, Wayne Baker has produced a valuable study grounded in an extensive examination of empirical data. Optimists and pessimists alike should read this book carefully--for both will find surprises that challenge their preconceived ideas." --Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University, [T]he arrival of Wayne Baker's important book . . . is a welcome development. . . . By Baker's account, the perceived crisis of values is unlikely to disappear any time soon. One can only hope that pundits and politicians will take some time off from waging culture war to read America's Crisis of Values . ---David Callahan, Political Science Quarterly, "Wayne E. Baker tries to explain why a gap has opened between the public perception that the U.S. is sharply divided and the empirical reality that it is not. . . . America's Crisis of Values is an important book that ought to be included in any seminar designed to provide background reading for our elected politicians." ---Alan Wolfe, Christian Century, " America's Crisis of Values is the most sophisticated account we have of opinion and value polarization in cross-national perspective. Clear, accessible, and loaded with evidence, it makes a uniquely valuable contribution by placing the U.S. case in a much broader context; distinguishing polarization of values from polarization of policy preferences (and demonstrating how surprisingly weak is the link between the two); and by showing where each has been growing or declining around the world. This book is required reading for any social scientist concerned with the "culture wasr" and the issues surrounding themt." --Paul DiMaggio, Princeton University, Wayne Baker has produced a thoughtful and engaging work. Scholars interested in public opinion, values, and the discourse surrounding the culture wars in the United States should read America's Crisis of Values., Wayne Baker has produced a thoughtful and engaging work. Scholars interested in public opinion, values, and the discourse surrounding the culture wars in the United States should read America's Crisis of Values. ---James A. McCann, Perspectives on Politics, "Wayne E. Baker tries to explain why a gap has opened between the public perception that the U.S. is sharply divided and the empirical reality that it is not. . . . America's Crisis of Values is an important book that ought to be included in any seminar designed to provide background reading for our elected politicians." --Alan Wolfe, Christian Century, [T]he arrival of Wayne Baker's important book . . . is a welcome development. . . . By Baker's account, the perceived crisis of values is unlikely to disappear any time soon. One can only hope that pundits and politicians will take some time off from waging culture war to read America's Crisis of Values., [A] deeply provocative book. It raises many questions for further investigation, and it will reward careful study." ---Barry Schwartz, American Journal of Sociology, "This is by far the most complete and comprehensive empirical examination of the topic. A significant contribution to the field." --John H. Evans, University of California, San Diego, [A] deeply provocative book. It raises many questions for further investigation, and it will reward careful study." --Barry Schwartz, American Journal of Sociology, Wayne E. Baker tries to explain why a gap has opened between the public perception that the U.S. is sharply divided and the empirical reality that it is not. . . . America's Crisis of Values is an important book that ought to be included in any seminar designed to provide background reading for our elected politicians. ---Alan Wolfe, Christian Century, "Wayne Baker has produced a thoughtful and engaging work. Scholars interested in public opinion, values, and the discourse surrounding the culture wars in the United States should read America's Crisis of Values." --James A. McCann, Perspectives on Politics, Is America experiencing a crisis of values, as popular media and politics claim? In a word: no. Wayne Baker . . . give[s] the most comprehensive empirical analysis of the topic to date., "[T]he arrival of Wayne Baker's important book . . . is a welcome development. . . . By Baker's account, the perceived crisis of values is unlikely to disappear any time soon. One can only hope that pundits and politicians will take some time off from waging culture war to read America's Crisis of Values ." --David Callahan, Political Science Quarterly, Wayne E. Baker tries to explain why a gap has opened between the public perception that the U.S. is sharply divided and the empirical reality that it is not. . . .America's Crisis of Valuesis an important book that ought to be included in any seminar designed to provide background reading for our elected politicians., Anyone concerned about American values in the larger world will be impressed by the elegance and clarity with which Baker treats this complex subject., "[A] deeply provocative book. It raises many questions for further investigation, and it will reward careful study."" ---Barry Schwartz, American Journal of Sociology, "[T]he arrival of Wayne Baker's important book . . . is a welcome development. . . . By Baker's account, the perceived crisis of values is unlikely to disappear any time soon. One can only hope that pundits and politicians will take some time off from waging culture war to read America's Crisis of Values ."-- David Callahan, Political Science Quarterly, "[T]he arrival of Wayne Bakers important book . . . is a welcome development. . . . By Baker's account, the perceived crisis of values is unlikely to disappear any time soon. One can only hope that pundits and politicians will take some time off from waging culture war to read America's Crisis of Values ."-- David Callahan, Political Science Quarterly, "Wayne Baker has produced a thoughtful and engaging work. Scholars interested in public opinion, values, and the discourse surrounding the culture wars in the United States should read America's Crisis of Values." ---James A. McCann, Perspectives on Politics, "[T]he arrival of Wayne Baker's important book . . . is a welcome development. . . . By Baker's account, the perceived crisis of values is unlikely to disappear any time soon. One can only hope that pundits and politicians will take some time off from waging culture war to read America's Crisis of Values ." ---David Callahan, Political Science Quarterly, "This is an indispensable book to understanding the transformation of American culture on the basis of solid evidence and rigorous methodology. It demonstrates the usefulness of social science to clarify the fundamental debates, which have been obscured by ideology and prejudice. It should be required reading in universities around the world." --Manuel Castells, Professor of Communication and Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication Technology and Society, University of Southern California, "Is America experiencing a crisis of values, as popular media and politics claim? In a word: no. Wayne Baker . . . give[s] the most comprehensive empirical analysis of the topic to date." -- Contemporary Sociology, "Anyone concerned about American values in the larger world will be impressed by the elegance and clarity with which Baker treats this complex subject." -- Choice
