A prominent Louisiana political scientist makes plain the reasons
for the state's political peculiarities. In the popular American
imagination, Louisiana may come closer than any other state to
offering the experience of a foreign culture--a Spanish-moss-draped
netherland filled with friendly but vaguely threatening Cajuns,
seething creature-infested swamps, the whirling masked chaos of
Mardi Gras, seductive N'awlins cadences, and most vividly, even
pruriently, the train wreck of Louisiana politics:
cash-under-the-table shenanigans, fat and sassy environmental
polluters, devil-and-the-deep-bluesea electoral choices like the
1991 gubernatorial runoff between the Klan-tainted David Duke and
the criminally indicated Edwin Edwards. Wayne Parent sees all of
this clearly with both an entertainer's eye and a social
scientist's rigor. He subjects Louisiana's politics to rational and
empirical analysis, seeking and finding coherent reasons for the
state's bizarre spectacle without resorting to vague hand-waving
about "exoticism," while at the same time bringing to life the
juicy stories that illustrate his points. Parent's main theme is
that Louisiana's ethnic mix, natural resources, and geography
define a culture that in turn produces its unique political
theater. He gives special attention to immigration patterns,
Louisiana's abundant supply of oil and gas, and the variations in
political temperaments in the state. Most important, he delivers
thorough and concise explanations of Louisiana's unusual legal
system, odd election rules, overwrought constitutional history,
convoluted voting patterns, and unmatched record of political
corruption--while at the same time noting signs of change in
theoffing. Rich in historical facts, gripping tales, and
comparative data, Wayne Parent's primer on Louisiana politics will
satisfy anyone agog at the state's saga.
General
| Imprint: |
Louisiana State University Press
|
| Country of origin: |
United States |
| Release date: |
September 2006 |
| First published: |
September 2006 |
| Authors: |
Wayne Parent
|
| Dimensions: |
216 x 140 x 12mm (L x W x T) |
| Format: |
Paperback
|
| Pages: |
208 |
| ISBN-13: |
978-0-8071-3198-5 |
| Categories: |
Books >
Social sciences >
Politics & government >
Local government >
General
|
| LSN: |
0-8071-3198-9 |
| Barcode: |
9780807131985 |
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