This volume investigates the evolution and impact of the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) as a primary mechanism for cross-national sociological data collection over its first quarter-century. Edited by Max Haller, Roger Jowell, and Tom W. Smith, the text synthesizes contributions from 35 leading academics to evaluate how mass comparative surveys have shaped our understanding of global social trends. The authors utilize longitudinal data to argue that the ISSP provides a critical framework for identifying the divergence and convergence of human values across disparate political and cultural systems.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational reference for understanding the history and methodological rigor of the ISSP. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a comprehensive resource for researchers engaged in comparative social science.