Political Sociology explores political ideas, action, identities and institutions in their social context: how do we understand the politics-society relation? Semester 1 introduces core political-sociological concepts such as the nature of power, the state, ideology, ruling elites and violence. Semester 2 addresses how more recent developments in social and cultural theory are changing the shape of political sociology. It pursues this through contemporary topics such as identity politics; new forms of political participation/apathy; the politics of globalisation and new technologies; and new forms of governance and protest. What do these new developments tell us about the scope of politics and the nature of social change, power and resistance in contemporary societies?
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Critically assess the major theoretical traditions and debates in political sociology.
Apply these to a range of substantive contemporary topics in the field
Assessment
30189-03 : written Exam : Exam (Centrally Timetabled) - Open Book (50%)
30189-04 : Written Exam : Exam (Centrally Timetabled) - Open Book (50%)