This document outlines the syllabus for a political sociology course taught over 10 weeks. It will examine power and politics from a sociological perspective, covering topics like the state, citizenship, race, sexuality, and inequality. Theories that will be discussed include those of Marx, Weber, and Foucault. Methods of instruction include lectures, case studies using films and documentaries, and workshops. Students will complete an essay and are encouraged to contribute ongoing discussions through online forums.
4. What are we dealing with?
The State Citizenship
Race
Sexuality
Governance Economics
Gender
Inequality
Nations Social class
Interdependence Exploitation
Surveillance
Globalization
Social change
Corruption
Democracy
Protest
Punishment Power
7. âPolitical sociology looks to âthe social
circumstances of politics, that is, to how
politics both is shaped by and shapes
other events in societiesâ.â
Anthony Orum (1983)
8. âPolitical sociology looks to âthe social
circumstances of politics, that is, to how
politics both is shaped by and shapes
other events in societiesâ.â
Anthony Orum (1983)
âIs there a distinctive sociological
contribution to the study of politics? If
there is, it is perhaps in this attempt to
make connections - between constitutional
theory and class structure, between social
base and political doctrine, between
global changes and local politics.â
Outhwaite and Martell (1998)
9. Shaping and being
shaped by politics
Think of an example
where a government
decision or a world
political event had
an impact on you?
Have your actions
ever had an impact
on politics? If so,
how?
10. âThe chance of a man or a number of men to
realise their own will in a communal action even
against the resistance of others who are
participating in the action.â
Max Weber
13. Teaching & Learning
Lecture - main theoretical overview
Reaction and critique
Case study (introduced using film,
webdocs, blogs, articles, photos...)
Bringing theory and practice together
(different method each week)
Ongoing contributions (more at the
end)
14. Week 2: Theories of Power
Theory
The relationship between
the state, capital and
citizens
Marxist, neo-Marxist versus
Weberian approaches
Perspectives
The Hacking Scandal
Methods
Mapping power exercise
15. Week 3: The Shrinking World
Theory
Globalization,
interdependence, decolonial
and border thinking
Contrasting western
approaches to globalization
with historicised emphasis
on interconnection
Perspectives
The Big Sell Out
Methods
Film
16. Week 4: Neoliberalism,
Politics & Society
Theory
The relationship between
the state and capital
under neoliberalism
Ideology and
individualisation
Perspectives
Post-Hurricane Katrina
Methods
TV/Newspapers
17. Week 5: The Disciplinary &
Punitive State
Theory
Foucauldian approaches to
discipline, surveillance
and punishment
The panopticon
Perspectives
Prison-industrial
complex: Prison Valley
Methods
Webdoc
18. Week 6: A Clash of
Civilizations?
Theory
The challenge to western
liberal ideology in the context
of the âwar on terrorâ
Critical, post-secular analyses
of the relationship between the
West and Islam
Perspectives
The âveil debateâ
Methods
âCouscous globalâ
19. Week 8:Citizenship &
Inequality
Theory
Theories of citizenship
Social exclusion and
inequality (class, race,
gender)
Perspectives
The UK post-riots
Methods
Blog analysis
20. Week 9: Democracy and its
discontents
Theory
Comparative theories of
democracy
The functioning of
âliberal democracyâ
Perspectives
Indian democracy
Methods
Articles
21. Week 10: Action for Change
Theory
Social movement theory
After âalterglobalizationâ
Perspectives
The anti-austerity
movements (UK, Greece,
Spain, US...)
Methods
Analysis of activist
methods
22. Week 7: Assessment
Workshop
Guide to essay writing
Work on essay plan
Work around criteria and expectations
Peer evaluation
23. Resources
Study Direct for
bonus resources,
discussion forum,
links to readings
and links to...
Slideshare
Enhanced podcasts
on Vimeo
Facebook group
24. Your contributions
Pick a topic
Post it on the Open Forum by Week 2
Post on FB continuously whenever you
like
Report to the seminar
Introduce myself\n\nAsk students to pair up and interview each other:\n- Name\n- Course\n- Why Polsoc\n- 1 interesting fact\n\nResources: Coloured paper/scotch/markers\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
Why read Howard Zinn’s ‘A People’s History of the American Century’ to find out more about the ideas behind political sociology?\n\nWatch this excerpt from the graphic version of the book. Note down the main points of what he is saying.\n\nAfter the film: Zinn shows us how world events not only have an effect on how we lead our lives, but also that we in turn can have an effect on the course history follows depending on how we react to what we experience.\n\nThis leads us to looking at the relationship between society and politics...\n
It is important to understand, that political processes and institutions do not emerge in a void. In other words, while they do not always take public opinion into account, they nevertheless reflect social structures and have an impact upon them.\n\nFor example, the British class system has an important effect on the way in which governmental institutions and state bodies have been formed. We could not envisage labour rights or social security services without the history of class-based protest that made it possible for the reforms that enabled them to take place.\n\nSimilarly, events on the global political stage and the concomitant changes in the global economy have a direct impact on the way local lives are led - how we do our shopping, how we travel, what jobs we can get etc. \n\n
It is important to understand, that political processes and institutions do not emerge in a void. In other words, while they do not always take public opinion into account, they nevertheless reflect social structures and have an impact upon them.\n\nFor example, the British class system has an important effect on the way in which governmental institutions and state bodies have been formed. We could not envisage labour rights or social security services without the history of class-based protest that made it possible for the reforms that enabled them to take place.\n\nSimilarly, events on the global political stage and the concomitant changes in the global economy have a direct impact on the way local lives are led - how we do our shopping, how we travel, what jobs we can get etc. \n\n
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Ultimately political sociology is concerned with how power operates.\n\nAs Kate Nash points out (reading for Week 2), although Max Weber’s definition seems to imply that power can be exercised in a variety of circumstances - not just political ones - traditionally, political sociology has taken it as a given that the most important site of power is the state. Political sociologists have therefore mainly focused on how states have wielded power over individuals/citizens.\n\nHowever, as Nash also stresses, more recently analyses of power have shifted away from a sole focus on the state for a variety of reasons including \n- globalization and the lessening importance of the nation-state\n- a change in traditional class formations due to the changing nature of work (flexibilised, precarious, knowledge soceity)\n- a flexibilization and pluralization of values and lifestyles due to the greater acceptance of non-normative identities.\n\nDespite these cultural changes which Nash says have led to a focus in political sociology on cultural politics (e.g. the way in which race, gender, sexuality, location, age, ability, work, etc. affect one’s social and political positioning), more classically ‘hard-nosed’ issues continue to exist side-by-side with these more identity-based considerations.\n\nEspecially in today’s economic climate we might be seeing a return to more Marxian analyses of capital and the effect that the crisis of capitalism has on class relations. There seems to be an ever growing gap between the richest and the poorest in society, both at a domestic and on a global level. These disparities cannot be explained culturally alone. \n\nPolitical sociology today should be focused on how ideology, economics, the state, global capital, and individual social relations play a part in making sense of our political world. \n\n\n
In this course, we will be focusing on how power is exercised in a variety of circumstances, prioritising the effect this has on individuals but also on how individuals - acting together with others - can challenge or overturn their circumstances.\n\nAs Michel Foucault has noted, power has no one centre. We are both the objects and the subjects of power meaning that we all exercise power in different circumstances. However, we do not all have the possibility to affect political or institutional power.\n\nWe see power in operation most obviously at the times in which power is being resisted. Here we see individuals without power attempting to become the subjects of power (e.g during revolutions or other social mobilisations - think of the events of the Arab Spring) and we also see the state and its institutions exercising its power against that resistance (for example Syrian President Assad’s violent repression of protestors). \n\nIn this course we will be paying a lot of attention to power as a process that produces inequalities but also at the way in which people can resist their exploitation.\n