Interests in Question

Abstract

Before addressing the problem of change directly, we must consider the prior questions of interests and preferences. Simply assuming the objective reality of stable interests, of which the revealed preferences of actors are but imperfect reflections, may be intellectually satisfying and, in some cases, theoretically useful but provides little guidance for the questions that concern us here. Open-minded empirical observation, instead, provides us with a useful starting point. The two case studies presented in this chapter illustrate key aspects of this debate, and provide an element of empirical grounding for the hypotheses that inform our larger project, as discussed in chapter 2.