Introduction

This chapter introduces our research objectives and the theory of archetypes around which our work is based. The chapter also defines the core concepts of this theory for use later throughout the book. In contrast to typical approaches to conceptualizing and analysing social science data, archetypes are found at the edges of the data, and not the centre, because the patterns at the edges are clearer and more distinct. We can then represent individuals and, by aggregation, countries as compositions of these distinct patterns, and these compositions provide a simple way of understanding heterogeneity, both across and within countries. Overall, we believe that this approach goes deeper than the simplistic stereotypes that are often used to compare countries, and in doing so has the potential to yield better insights into the similarities and differences between countries, as well as how these may be changing over time. The chapter also introduces the two Welzel meta-values we use to illustrate our approach and to investigate cultural heterogeneity and dynamics for 117 countries over the four decades from 1981 to 2021.