Inside the Carnival: Unmasking Louisiana Politics

by Wayne Parent

Overview

With both an entertainer’s eye and a social scientist’s rigor, Wayne Parent subjects Louisiana’s politics to rational and empirical analysis, seeking and finding coherent reasons for the state’s well-known unique history. He resists resorting to vague hand-waving about “exoticism,” while at the same time he brings to life the juicy stories that illustrate his points. Pa rent’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 and Louisiana’s abundant supply of oil and gas, as well as to the fascinating variations in political temperaments in different parts of 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. In a new epilogue, Parent discusses how the hurricanes of 2005 will affect state politics and politicians as Louisiana struggles to regain its footing in the New South.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807131985
Publisher:	Louisiana State University Press
Publication date:	09/01/2006
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	653,177
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Wayne Parent is Russell Long Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Political Science at Louisiana State University. He is a frequent commentator on national and Louisiana politics for the media, including Nightline, CBS Sunday Morning, All Things Considered, Voice of America Radio, CNN News, New York Times, USA Today, Christian Science Monitor, and U.S. News and World Report. He is the coeditor of The Louisiana Field Guide: Understanding Life in the Pelican State.

Table of Contents

	Preface	xiii
	Acknowledgments	xv
1.	Political Culture	1
2.	Participation	31
3.	Government	66
4.	Local Politics	91
5.	Change	120
Appendix 1	Maps	137
Appendix 2	Tables	145
	Notes	163
	Selected Readings	169
	Index	173