The Politics of Individualism

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Christopher F. Karpowitz (Mary Lou Fulton Professor of Political Science, Mary Lou Fulton Professor of Political Science, Brigham Young University) Kelly D. Patterson (Professor of Political Science, Professor of Political Science, Brigham Young University)

The Politics of Individualism

Christopher F. Karpowitz (Mary Lou Fulton Professor of Political Science, Mary Lou Fulton Professor of Political Science, Brigham Young University), Kelly D. Patterson (Professor of Political Science, Professor of Political Science, Brigham Young University)

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
03 October 2025

Political science & theory; Comparative politics; Public opinion & polls

Individualism is a quintessential American value, manifesting in emphases on hard work and economic independence. But there is another key aspect to individualism: moral autonomy, which must be understood in the context of an individual's relationship to authority.

The Politics of Individualism emphasizes the importance of moral autonomy by examining the relationship between autonomy, the self, and institutions. Political scientists Christopher F. Karpowitz and Kelly D. Patterson examine the conceptual dimensions of individualism, introduce a new empirical measure they call ""moral individualism,"" and evaluate its relationship to civic life. Their analysis shows that people who score highly on the moral individualism scale are less likely to commit to public goods and to engage in collective efforts to alleviate common problems--like a pandemic. In light of this finding, Karpowitz and Patterson assess the danger that moral individualism may pose to the maintenance of democratic institutions and the common goals and beliefs that help bind a nation together.

By: Christopher F. Karpowitz (Mary Lou Fulton Professor of Political Science Mary Lou Fulton Professor of Political Science Brigham Young University), Kelly D. Patterson (Professor of Political Science, Professor of Political Science, Brigham Young University)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9780197814444
ISBN 10: 0197814441
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 03 October 2025
Audience: Professional and scholarly , College/higher education , Undergraduate , Further / Higher Education
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Christopher F. Karpowitz is a professor of political science at Brigham Young University. He was director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at BYU. He is currently a co-editor of Political Behavior. He received his Ph.D. from Princeton University. Kelly D. Patterson is a professor of political science at Brigham Young University. He has served as department chair, Director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at BYU, and as an associate dean in the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University.

Reviews for The Politics of Individualism

It is rare for scholars to define a significant new concept and demonstrate empirically that it explains prevalent and troubling aspects of politics. Karpowitz and Patterson have done exactly that with their new concept of ""moral individualism,"" which must now become a focus for researchers and a concern of anyone who works to preserve the republic. * Peter Levine, Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship. Tufts University * Along with fairness and community, observers often invoke individualism to explain, or perhaps to celebrate or decry, the character of American politics. But these terms are essentially contested, and invoked more often than examined. Karpowitz and Patterson unravel the idea of individualism, finding the claim to moral autonomy at its core. That is an enormously productive concept; it illuminates stances from resistance to COVID vaccines to the power of ""I have a dream"". * Jennifer Hochschild, Henry LaBarre Jayne Professor of Government and Professor of African and African American Studies, Harvard University *