The book deals with the question “What makes people agree to the extension of political rights to those they clearly dislike?” It is based on a study that combines large scale survey data with in-depth interviews in each national setting to exemplify the great variation of factors that are related to political tolerance. It aims to shed light on the fundamental patterns existing in the organization of state-society relations and the ways in which they produce certain results owing to the manner in which the forces of modernization operate.

 Sten Widmalm is Professor in political science at the Department of Government, Uppsala University. His research areas are: Demoratic development, conflict studies, crisis management, decentralization, and corruption. And he do his research on such topics in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uganda, and Europe.