One of the defining debates of sociology is the nature of the relationship
between the individual and society. One sociologist, Seymour Martin Lipset,
investigated this relationship through his analysis of Canadian and American value
differences. Lipset (1964) argues that Canadian and American values are different
and have remained parallel to each other over time. The following dissertation tests
Lipset's thesis of cross-national value differences through seven hypotheses derived
from Canadian and American media portrayals of Native issues. Testing these
hypotheses is accomplished through quantitative and qualitative measures to
determine if Canadian and American media content support or refute Lipset's thesis.
Documenting each country's values was achieved by a content analysis of articles
from a leading newsmagazine from each country, Maclean's and Newsweek, and
comparing their presentations of Native issues.
This research found that the majority of Lipset's pattern-variables did not
accurately predict cross-national media portrayals of Native issues. However, Lipset's
approach to studying national values is applicable far beyond those defined by the
49th. parallel. His typology could be applied to the study of value differences
between nations and offer valuable insights into national value systems and what makes them different. Applying Lipset's approach to societies beyond those in North
America would add to our understanding of the individual's relationship to society
through a fuller appreciation of their values. / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/8195 |
| Date | 29 May 2017 |
| Creators | Ravelli, Bruce Douglas |
| Contributors | Hedley, R. Alan |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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