Value Politics in Japan and Europe

Abstract

The introduction defines what is meant by "value politics" and shows how values are the touchstones of dynamics of consensus and conflicts in all societies. It maps the interdisciplinary state of the art about values in social sciences. Next, Europe and Japan are framed as different but commensurable cases that beg for more extensive and systematic comparisons. Finally, the key research question of the book is highlighted: Is there a convergent evolution of values in Japan and Europe, especially regarding authoritarianism?