Why do so many people volunteer to help others in need in society today? What makes people give up the convenience of driving their car to benefit a better environment? And why are citizens, in general, quite prepared to pay taxes to ensure adequate health care, and support for the elderly and unemployed? These are examples of a more fundamental question addressed in this book: why do people cooperate for the welfare of their community, state, or organization? Cooperation in Modern Society is a unique collection of contributions from internationally reputed scholars in the social sciences. In each of the chapters, field experts analyze a particular example of cooperation in modern society (e.g. volunteering, resource management, tax paying, political participation) that is based upon the most recent theoretical and research developments. As a whole, these contributions present a thorough and constructive view of people's abilities to solve the problems facing society in the 21st century and beyond.
The book is a must read for students of social problems in all social science disciplines and for those professionally involved in solving these issues (policy-analysts and policy-makers).