Comparing Cultures: Dimensions of Culture in a Comparative Perspective

Culture explains much of the behavioral and institutional differences around the globe. In social science there are many ways of framing cultural diversities. This book brings together authors with a classic status in the field of comparative cultural studies on one overarching theme: what are the relevant differences and similarities of contemporary cultural dimensions with which countries, organizations, and people can be compared? This book is the first publication available in which the cultural divisions of the world are compared and confronted. In the first part of the book classic authors reflect on each others key work and assess the main overlap and distinction. The book next provides insight in frontline academic work from a wide range of countries and social science disciplines dealing with the classic status cultural dimensions aimed at addressing contemporary key issues.

Henk Vinken, Ph.D. (1997) in Social Sciences, Tilburg University, is Director of IRIC, Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation, at Tilburg University, the Netherlands, and has published widely on culture, value change, youth, generations, and the life-course.

Joseph Soeters (1954) is Professor of Social Sciences and Management at the Royal Netherlands's Military Academy and Professor of Organizational Sociology at Tilburg University, the Netherlands. His main research interests focus on international cooperation between organizations; in addition, he works on Human Resources and diversity management (both in a Western and non-Western context).

Peter Ester (1953) is Professor of Sociology at Tilburg University, the Netherlands, Director of OSA, Institute for Labor Studies, and Program Director Civil Society at GLOBUS, Institute for Globalization and Sustainable Development. He was visiting professor at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and ZUMA, Center for Survey Methodology and Analysis (Mannheim) and authored over 160 publications. Ester is the former chairman of the Dutch Association of Social and Cultural Sciences.