Economic Precarity & Cultural Persistence

Economic Precarity & Cultural Persistence

Author: Dr Alice Evans June 10, 2023 Duration: 13:55
Why have some countries undergone rapid cultural change, while others are marked by persistence? And why does social norm policing often revolve around gender? One key mediating factor is the great economic divergence. Some countries are now rich, while others remain poor. In places with weak job creation and chronic precarity, people remain heavily dependent on kinship networks. Men maintain inclusion in vital networks by ensuring their families conform to established strictures. Fear of social exclusion motivates an instrumental concern for approval. Insecurity and instability - exacerbated by conflicts and ecological threats - may also generate intrinsic desires for group conformity and norm enforcement. Economics is not the whole story, however. Latin America and MENA have undergone similar growth trajectories, yet Latin Americans have become considerably more liberal, secular and supportive of gender equality. Precarity thus only partly explains cultural persistence.

Conversations on ROCKING OUR PRIORS begin with a simple, powerful idea: that our deepest assumptions about how societies progress deserve a second look. Host Dr Alice Evans, drawing from her roles at King’s College London and the Harvard Kennedy School, doesn’t just interview leading experts-she engages them in a genuine dialogue. Each episode digs into the interconnected engines of change: economic growth, the nuances of governance, and the persistent structures of gender inequality. You’ll hear discussions that are both academic and accessible, where complex theories are tested against real-world evidence and historical patterns. The aim is to unsettle comfortable narratives and examine how transformation actually happens across different cultures. This isn't a lecture series; it's an ongoing exploration designed to challenge and refine your perspective. Tune into the podcast for thoughtful, evidence-based conversations that might just change how you see the world's most pressing social and economic questions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

ROCKING OUR PRIORS
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