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Culture Wars: The Struggle To Control The Family, Art, Education, Law, And Politics In America

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James Davison Hunter (Author)
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James Davison Hunter (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars 11 customer reviews
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ISBN-10: 0465015344
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Basic Books (October 14, 1992)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0465015344
  • ASIN: B005GNKKGU
  • Product Dimensions: 5 x 1 x 8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,721,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 starsWhy the culture wars continue?
By David T. Wayne on May 31, 2002
Format: Paperback
This was a textbook for me in seminary. I am in a conservative Presbyterian denomination and studied at a very conservative seminary, and this book got some interesting reviews from the students.
For me, it was a little difficult, since I don't have much background in sociology, but as I trudged through it I really grew to appreciate it. Some of my other classmates loved it too, but there were several who were quite taken aback by it. They didn't like it because Hunter didn't come out and condemn those who were on the wrong side of the culture wars.
But that is just the point - in this book he does not try to point out who is wrong and who is right, his object is to demonstrate why neither side is able to persuade, or prevail against the other.
Each side in the culture war has it's own set of presuppositions and assumptions that it speaks from. Because of this, that which seems most persuasive to one side completely misses those on the other side, because they don't share the same presuppositions. We are talking past one another.
Another problem that Hunter addresses is the issue of extremes and inflammatory rhetoric. Hunter says that, by and large, the culture wars are being fought by people on the extreme ends of their positions. So, the battle of the culture wars is usually fought with inflammatory rhetoric that doesn't persuade, it just angers.
As a sidenote I recently read a story about how communists used to train their young recruits. This particular communist said that when a young person adopted communism the best thing they could do was immediately set them on a street corner passing out communist leaflets. They would get attacked mercilessly, but this attack would only serve to harden and solidify the young communist in his or her beliefs.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsA wide-angle view on American society...
By T. A. Smedes on February 22, 2006
Format: Paperback
Though the book was published originally published in 1991, it is no wonder that this book is still in print: it is as relevant as ever - and I daresay its relevance is increasing again.

In this book, Hunter gives us a wide-angle view of what is going on in American society since the second half of the twentieth century. Hunter argues that there is a culture war going on. Consequently, he aims at describing the historical and socio-political backgrounds of this cultural conflict.

In five parts, Hunter introduces the culture war (prologue and chapters 1 and 2), maps the lines of conflict (chapters 3 and 4), describes the means of the warfare: the discourse and technology (chapters 5 and 6), and extensively describes the fields of conflict: family, education, media and the arts, law, and electoral politics (chapters 7-11), and finally points out possibilities for a resolution (chapter 12 and the epilogue).

Hunter defines a cultural conflict as "political and social hostility rooted in different systems of moral understanding" (42). According to Hunter, the culture war in America revolves around different worldviews, "our most fundamental and cherished assumptions about how to order or lives - our own lives and our lives together in this society" (42). The contemporary culture war is "a struggle over national identity - over the meaning of America, who we have been in the past, who we are now, and perhaps most important, who we, as a nation, will aspire to become in the new millennium" (50).Read more ›
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4.0 out of 5 starsStill Relevent and Timely After All These Years!
By Kevin Currie-Knight VINE VOICE on October 26, 2004
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
The title of my review refers to the fact that this book, while published in '91, is still quite an accurate portrayal of how the culture wars are conducted. The passing of 13 years and tenure of two presidents has not served to ameliorate the culture war between 'traditionalists' and 'progressives.' Hunter, then, was certainly right.

Hunter's main thesis with this book is that, quite frankly, the culture war being fought over our schools, family policy, law, entertainment, etc. is not a war that will likely EVER engender a consensus. In fact, as it stands now, it seems even to proclude rational debate in favor of charged rhetoric, miscaricaturizations of opponents, and...well...mudslinging.

Hunter asserts this thesis, backs it up with chronicles of how the culture war has been conducted thus far, and conjectures as to why it is so. First, he says, we are dealing with core philosophic differences over questions to do with 'how the world should be.' Thus, both sides have deep emotions on the said issues. Second, there is no incentive to try and foster consensus because in an adversarial system like ours, the game is about power - the power to get your policy instituted and your other's quashed. Third, each 'side' operates using somewhat incompatible philosophic assumptions. To the anti-abortion-rights activist, it is a child and abortion is murder. To the abortion rights activist, it is only potential life and prohibiting abortion is denying the mother freedom of person. Where one sees freedom (either of the mother or fetus), the other sees either servitude or murder. Incomatibilities like these, says Hunter, will ensure that there will be no satisfactory end to the culture war - just a long, tiring, rhetorically charged, and endless, struggle.Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 starsThree Stars

It's a good book, but was published in 1991; and it is dated by this time.

Published 17 months ago by Edward Manring
5.0 out of 5 starsHunter is one smart dude.

I've been thinking about writing a review of this book. It's great and deserves 5 stars. Culture Wars has been talked about for decades already, and I think the best thing to say... Read more

Published on April 29, 2014 by Roger Gay
5.0 out of 5 starsWARS OF CULTURE

The struggle to define America. Makes sense of battles over the family, law, politics, art, and education. Read more

Published on April 2, 2014 by Charles P. Poole, Jr.
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat book

This book warned America of the coming storm that would be unleashed by progressives/libs. Still a must read. Very informative

Published on April 18, 2013 by Dtwentyeight12
2.0 out of 5 starsMissed the biggest point

I understand that Hunter is focusing on trends in religion, but he does discuss the origins of the polarization we call the "culture wars". Read more

Published on July 9, 2010 by askirsch
5.0 out of 5 starsCulture Wars

Few of us, I think it's safe to say, question the truism that contemporary culture chatters like an activated geiger counter, emitting danger signals, signs of ominous decay if not... Read more

Published on March 13, 2009 by Gerard Reed
3.0 out of 5 starsThe Endless Culture Wars!

In this work Hunter looks at the culture wars and how they play out in the fields of the family, education, government and the media. Read more

Published on August 5, 2001 by Severin Olson
4.0 out of 5 starsAccessible, Insightful Sociological Research

The most significant contribution of James Davison Hunter's Culture Wars resides in the controversy and extensive scholarship that followed the publication of his book. Read more

Published on March 31, 2000

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