Richard Hodder-Williams – författare

First published in 1970 Public opinion polls and British politics provides an introductory guide to political polling in Britain. The book describes the polling organizations themselves, their sampling methods, and some of the general problems encountered in survey work. A distinction is drawn between polls concerned with voting intentions (predictive polls) and polls concerned with the expression of opinion (opinion polls), and problems of interpretation in each are discussed. Public opinion polls are then considered in the context of British politics – firstly their relationship with the general principles of representative democracy, and secondly their effect on the practice of politics. Finally, a word of caution is sounded against taking the polls too seriously as accurate indicators of the thinking of the British electorate and also against treating the implications of their potential uses too lightly. This book is a must read for students of British politics, election studies and political science.

First published in 1970 Public opinion polls and British politics provides an introductory guide to political polling in Britain. The book describes the polling organizations themselves, their sampling methods, and some of the general problems encountered in survey work. A distinction is drawn between polls concerned with voting intentions (predictive polls) and polls concerned with the expression of opinion (opinion polls), and problems of interpretation in each are discussed. Public opinion polls are then considered in the context of British politics – firstly their relationship with the general principles of representative democracy, and secondly their effect on the practice of politics. Finally, a word of caution is sounded against taking the polls too seriously as accurate indicators of the thinking of the British electorate and also against treating the implications of their potential uses too lightly. This book is a must read for students of British politics, election studies and political science.

This wide-ranging and informative introduction to politics in tropical Africa, first published in 1984, is essential reading to students, businessmen, government officials and economic advisers alike. Situating the contemporary scene firmly in its historical context, which stresses both pre-colonial and colonial heritages, he emphasizes how politicians are constrained by the past, the physical environment and the world’s economy, yet still retain freedom of choice on a wide range of issues. The book is thematically organised and provides both an overview of the general similarities of the continent and also enough detail to flesh out the realities of tribalism and corruption, as well as illustrating the variations that inevitably occur in a continent of sovereign states.

This wide-ranging and informative introduction to politics in tropical Africa, first published in 1984, is essential reading to students, businessmen, government officials and economic advisers alike. Situating the contemporary scene firmly in its historical context, which stresses both pre-colonial and colonial heritages, he emphasizes how politicians are constrained by the past, the physical environment and the world’s economy, yet still retain freedom of choice on a wide range of issues. The book is thematically organised and provides both an overview of the general similarities of the continent and also enough detail to flesh out the realities of tribalism and corruption, as well as illustrating the variations that inevitably occur in a continent of sovereign states.