Lawrence E. Harrison (March 11, 1932 - December 9, 2015) was an American scholar known for his work on international development and being former

USAID The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...

mission director to various Latin American countries. He is the past director of the Cultural Change Institute at the

Fletcher School The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy is the graduate school of international affairs of Tufts University, in Medford, Massachusetts. The School is one of America's oldest graduate schools of international relations and is well-ranked in it ...

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...

, where he also served as an adjunct lecturer. He is the author of various books and articles, most notably his work with Samuel P. Huntington, ''Culture Matters''. His work was cited thousands of times in books, journals, and other academic works. He was also noted as an influence on USAID's policies. His views created considerable disputes with some, such as Professor

Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American public intellectual: a linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky i ...

. He died December 9, 2015, at the University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Greece.

Ideas

Harrison's main thesis is that culture is the dominant factor affecting progress and development of groups and nations. While economic, historical, and geographical factors are relevant, Harrison suggests what ultimately determines whether a given group will enjoy economic prosperity in a free society is its cultural values. Religious beliefs and other systems of values will greatly affect the development of a given nation, which explains, in his view, the lasting underdevelopment of nations like Haiti.

Selected bibliography

*''Jews, Confucians, and Protestants: Cultural Capital, and the End of Multiculturalism'' (2012) *''The Central Liberal Truth: How Politics Can Change a Culture and Save It from Itself'' (2006) *''Developing Cultures: Essays On Cultural Change'' (co-editor with

Jerome Kagan Jerome Kagan (February 25, 1929 – May 10, 2021) was an American psychologist, who was the Daniel and Amy Starch Research Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, as well as, co-faculty at the New England Complex Systems Institute. He was ...

) (2006) *''Culture Matters--How Values Shape Human Progress'' (co-editor with Samuel P. Huntington) (2000) *''The Pan-American Dream'' (1997) *''Who Prospers? How Cultural Values Shape Economic and Political Success'' (1992) *''Underdevelopment is a State of Mind--The Latin American Case'' (1985)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, Lawrence Tufts University faculty 2015 deaths 1932 births