This special issue of International Journal of Sociology focuses on data collected by the International Social Survey Programme (www.issp.org). Two years ago, IJS 47/1 centered on the Citizenship module. Last year, IJS 48/2 dealt with the Work Orientation data, and the present issue (49/2) with the Role of Government (ROG) module.
As with the previous special issues, a call for papers was circulated among researchers in the area of international comparative research. The call on the role of government module sparked a lot of interest. After the review process, we still have more high quality material than can fit in a single issue. IJS will publish more than one issue on the ROG data. This also suits its publication schedule has changed. IJS is now published six times a year, but limited to fewer pages in each issue. Thus, while the annual volume increases, each issue will be shorter.
The present special issue on the ROG data includes four contributions. The first contribution, authored by Jonas Edlund and Arvid Lindh, introduces the history and content of this ISSP survey, which was fielded in 1985 for the first time. Edlund and Lindh’s report shows that many questions have been asked repeatedly and that the core questions have remained rather similar since 1985. The subsequent contributions present empirical findings based on the ROG data and surveys that use items from this questionnaire. Joakim Kulin and Ingemar Johansson Sewä consider the role of government in protecting the environment. Their emphasis, however, is public opinion because they see it as paramount that the public supports government policies and spending. Troels Fage Hedegaard and Christian Albrekt Larsen consider American exceptionalism and ask whether American migrants’ views changed once they migrated to Europe. Their contribution shows that the ROG items are also used in other surveys such as the migrant’s welfare state attitudes (MIFARE) survey. In the final contribution of this first ROG special issue, Frédéric Gonthier scrutinizes the support for public spending and government efficacy with a special view on the middle class’s commitment to the welfare state.
The subsequent issue of International Journal of Sociology (49/3) will also focus on the Role of Government data and include another set of articles using this survey. I would like to thank Jonas Edlund, Arvid Lindh as well as all contributors, reviewers, and administrative staff that helped in producing the special issues on the ISSP data.
Notes on Contributor
Markus Hadler is a professor of sociology at the University of Graz, Austria, and an honorary professor in the Department of Sociology, Macquarie University, Australia. He is also Austrian representative to the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP). His research interests lie in the areas of social inequality, political sociology, and environmental sociology.
Department of Sociology, University of Graz, Austria
[email protected]