| Inside the Carnival: Unmasking Louisiana Politics Contributor(s): Parent, Wayne (Author) |
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ISBN: 0807131989 ISBN-13: 9780807131985 Publisher: LSU Press OUR PRICE: $17.96 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: September 2006 Annotation: 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. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Political Science | American Government - State |
| Dewey: 320.476 |
| Physical Information: 0.47" H x 5.58" W x 8.58" (0.57 lbs) 208 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Deep South - Geographic Orientation - Louisiana |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: 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. |
