The Myth of Asian Exceptionalism: Response to Bomhoff and Gu

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The Myth of Asian Exceptionalism: Response to Bomhoff and Gu. / Welzel, Christian.
In: Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol. 43, No. 7, 10.2012, p. 1039-1054.

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

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@article{fd87aa9ae1e24117be2b35848433a07c,
title = "The Myth of Asian Exceptionalism: Response to Bomhoff and Gu",
abstract = "In a series of contributions, Welzel describes modernization as human empowerment: a process that emancipates people from external authority. Human empowerment theory (HET) posits two sequential mechanisms. First, cognitive empowerment through rising levels of education and knowledge leads to motivational empowerment, manifest in rising emancipative values. Second, rising emancipative values nurture mass aspirations for liberal democracy, leading to more effective democratic practices. Using World Values Survey (WVS) data from a dozen Asian societies, Bomhoff and Gu claim that Asia is different because these mechanisms do not work among Asian societies. Against these claims, this response shows that Bomhoff and Gu{\textquoteright}s results are inconclusive. Upon proper examination of WVS evidence, their conclusions turn actually into the opposite: The emancipative logic of HET applies to Asia as much as it applies to the “West.” ",
keywords = "Politics, attitudes, beliefs, cultural psychology, developmental, national development, social, values, attitudes, beliefs, cultural psychology, developmental, national development, social, values, Gender and Diversity",
author = "Christian Welzel",
year = "2012",
month = oct,
doi = "10.1177/0022022112455458",
language = "English",
volume = "43",
pages = "1039--1054",
journal = "Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology",
issn = "0022-0221",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",
number = "7",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Myth of Asian Exceptionalism

T2 - Response to Bomhoff and Gu

AU - Welzel, Christian

PY - 2012/10

Y1 - 2012/10

N2 - In a series of contributions, Welzel describes modernization as human empowerment: a process that emancipates people from external authority. Human empowerment theory (HET) posits two sequential mechanisms. First, cognitive empowerment through rising levels of education and knowledge leads to motivational empowerment, manifest in rising emancipative values. Second, rising emancipative values nurture mass aspirations for liberal democracy, leading to more effective democratic practices. Using World Values Survey (WVS) data from a dozen Asian societies, Bomhoff and Gu claim that Asia is different because these mechanisms do not work among Asian societies. Against these claims, this response shows that Bomhoff and Gu’s results are inconclusive. Upon proper examination of WVS evidence, their conclusions turn actually into the opposite: The emancipative logic of HET applies to Asia as much as it applies to the “West.”

AB - In a series of contributions, Welzel describes modernization as human empowerment: a process that emancipates people from external authority. Human empowerment theory (HET) posits two sequential mechanisms. First, cognitive empowerment through rising levels of education and knowledge leads to motivational empowerment, manifest in rising emancipative values. Second, rising emancipative values nurture mass aspirations for liberal democracy, leading to more effective democratic practices. Using World Values Survey (WVS) data from a dozen Asian societies, Bomhoff and Gu claim that Asia is different because these mechanisms do not work among Asian societies. Against these claims, this response shows that Bomhoff and Gu’s results are inconclusive. Upon proper examination of WVS evidence, their conclusions turn actually into the opposite: The emancipative logic of HET applies to Asia as much as it applies to the “West.”

KW - Politics

KW - attitudes

KW - beliefs

KW - cultural psychology

KW - developmental

KW - national development

KW - social

KW - values

KW - attitudes

KW - beliefs

KW - cultural psychology

KW - developmental

KW - national development

KW - social

KW - values

KW - Gender and Diversity

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84865784636&origin=inward&txGid=0

U2 - 10.1177/0022022112455458

DO - 10.1177/0022022112455458

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 43

SP - 1039

EP - 1054

JO - Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

JF - Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

SN - 0022-0221

IS - 7

ER -

DOI