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DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

 

PR3150 POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY  2005-06

 

Taught by: Dr. Chris Rumford, Senior Lecturer in Political Sociology

 

The course provides an overview of current debates in political sociology. The focus is on the changing relationship between state, society, and the individual in the contemporary world. Topics to be covered include: globalization, nationalism, political identity, the state, civil society, citizenship, the self and individuation, democracy, and Europeanization.

 

Aims and Objectives

The aim of the course is to provide an overview of current debates in political sociology. In doing so the course will also raise questions about the ability of political and social science to account for and interpret social change. Students will be able to arrive at a systematic understanding of the major principles underlying contemporary social transformation and in particular to assess the significance of transnational processes impacting on national societies.

 

Teaching methods

Weekly; one hour lecture and one hour seminar.

 

Topics covered

  1. Political sociology: understanding social transformation
  2. Globalization I: the politics of global transformation
  3. Globalization II: theories of globalization 
  4. Globalization III: issues for  political sociology
  5. The state I: theories of the state
  6. The state II: government or governance?
  7. The European Union and supra-national governance
  8. Europeanization: the social and political transformation of Europe
  9. Nationalism I: theories of nationalism
  10. Nationalism II: globalization, nation-states and democracy
  11. The international system of states: world polity?
  12. Civil society I : theories of civil society
  13. Civil society II: global civil society
  14. European integration and European society
  15. Transnational social movements
  16. Transnational advocacy networks
  17. Citizenship I: theories of citizenship
  18. Citizenship II: citizenship in the global age
  19. Course review
  20. Course review

 

Coursework and Assessment

All students must submit three essays of between 2500 and 3000 words. The best two of these will contribute 50% to the final mark. All students will also take a 2 hour ("unseen") examination which will contribute 50% of the total marks for the course.

 

The deadline for the submission of essays is as follows. Please note that essays must be submitted by MIDDAY on the specified dates:

First essay – Monday 14th November 2005

Second essay – Monday 16th January 2006

Third essay – Monday 6th March 2006

 

 

Essay Topics

1.      How can we best characterise social transformation in the contemporary period?

2.      How have political sociologists understood globalization?

3.      What drives the globalization process?

4.      Is globalization merely another academic fad or does it pose a challenge to more traditional forms of social scientific enquiry?

5.      "An understanding of the modern state is central to political sociology." Discuss.

6.      What do you understand by the term "governance," and what is its significance for contemporary political sociology?

7.      How can the state-like properties of the EU best be understood?

8.      What kind of social transformation does “Europeanization” represent?

9.      Are nation-states modern phenomena or do they have more ancient origins?

10.  To what extent is the nation-state threatened by globalization?

11.  What does the "world polity" thesis tell us about the relationship between nation-states under conditions of globalization?

12.  What constitutes civil society, and how can it enhance democracy?

13.  Is it possible to talk of civil society beyond the nation-state?

14.  Does a European society exist?

15.  “Transnational social movements are the most important agents of social transformation in the contemporary world”. Discuss.

16.  What are Transnational Advocacy Networks, and what do they tell us about the nature of politics under conditions of globalization?

17.  "In the work of Marshall citizenship compensates for economic inequalities." Discuss.

18.  Is globalization a threat to citizenship?

 

 

Chris Rumford’s webpage 

Students are directed to the useful resources collected at: http://www.chrisrumford.org.uk/plate_noticeboard.html

 

 

Recommended reading:

The following books are recommended for insights into political sociology generally, and/or because they cover several elements of the course particularly well:

  • Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implications of Europeanization. London: Routledge 301.0094 DEL
  • Rumford, C. 2002: The European Union: A Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell 382.9142 RUM
  • Bauman, Z. 2000: Liquid Modernity. Cambridge: Polity 301.2 BAU
  • Nash, K. 2000: Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics, and Power. Oxford: Blackwell 320.01 NAS
  • Nash, K. and Scott, A. (eds) 2001: The Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell 320.01 BLA
  • Urry, J. 2000: Sociology Beyond Societies: Mobilities for the Twenty-first century. London: Routledge 301.001 URR

 

Lecture Programme

 

1. Political sociology: understanding social transformations

Seminar topic: How can we best characterise transformations in the contemporary period?

 

Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implications of Europeanization. London: Routledge (esp. Chapter 1). 301.0094 DEL

Gane, N. (2004) The Future of Social Theory. London: Continuum (especially the chapters by Beck and Bauman). 300.1 GAN

Bauman, Z. 2000: Liquid Modernity. Cambridge: Polity  301.2 BAU

Urry, J. 2000: Sociology Beyond Societies: Mobilities for the Twenty-first century. Routledge: London. 301.001 URR

Outhwaite, W. and Ray, L. 2005: Social Theory and Postcommunism. Oxford: Blackwell 301.2 OUT

Nash, K. (2000) Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics, and Power. Oxford: Blackwell 320.01 NAS

 

 

2. Globalization I: the politics of global transformation

Seminar topic: What has caused globalization to happen?

 

Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D., and Perraton, J. 1999: Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture. Cambridge: Polity  330.9 GLO

Robertson, R. 2001: "Globalization theory 2000+ : major problematics," in G. Ritzer and B. Smart (eds), Handbook of Social Theory. London: Sage 301.01 HAN

Axford, B. 1995: The Global System: Economics, Politics, and Culture. Cambridge: Polity Press 338.9 AXF

Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2006:  “Political globalization” in G. Ritzer (ed) Blackwell Companion to Globalization. Oxford: Blackwell (available from CR)

Holton, R. 1998: Globalization and the nation-state. Houndmills: Palgrave. 382.1 HOL

Youngs, G. 2003: “International relations as we enter the twenty-first century” in Kofman, E. and Youngs, G. (eds) Globalization: Theory and Practice. London: Continuum. 320.01 GLO

Meyer, J. W. 2000: "Globalization: sources and effects on national states and societies," International Sociology 15(2).

Held, D. and McGrew, A. 2000: “Globalization, regionalization and the

transformation of political community”

http://www.psa.ac.uk/cps/2000/Held%20David%20&%20McGrew%20Anthony.pdf

 

 

3. Globalization II: theories of globalization 

Seminar topic: What are the most useful approaches to understanding globalization?

 

Robertson, R 1992: Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture London: Sage 301.2 ROB

Lechner, F. and Boli, J. World Culture: Origins and Consequences (esp. Chapter 2) Oxford: Blackwell 301.2 LEC

Albrow, M 1996: The Global Age: State and Society Beyond Modernity Cambridge, Polity Press 301.24 ALB

Axford, B. 2000: "Globalization," in G. Browning, A. Halcli, and F. Webster (eds) Understanding Contemporary Society. London: Sage. 301 UND

Scholte, J. A. 2000: Globalization: A Critical Introduction. Houndmills: Palgrave 330.9 SCH

Walters, M. 1995: Globalization. London: Routledge 301.2 WAT

Beck, U. 2000: What is Globalization? Cambridge: Polity.  330.9 SCH

Lechner, F. and Boli, J. (eds) 2004: The Globalization Reader (Second Edition) Oxford: Blackwell (especially Part 1 “Debating Globalization” and Part II “Explaining Globalization”) 330.9 GLO

 

 

4. Globalization III: issues for political sociology

Seminar topic: In what ways does globalization constitute a challenge to political sociology?

 

Rumford, C. 2002: The European Union: A Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell (especially Chapters 1 and 2). 382.9142 RUM

Nash, K. (2000) Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics, and Power. Oxford: Blackwell (especially Chapter 2) 320.01 NAS

Robertson, R. 1992: Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture (especially Chapter 1 "Globalization as a Problem") London: Sage. 301.2 ROB

Albrow; M. 1998: "Europe in the Global Age," Amalfi Prize Lecture, Amalfi, Italy 30 May    http://www.chrisrumford.org.uk/ALBROW.htm

Urry, J. 2000: "Mobile sociology," British Journal of Sociology 51(1).

 Turner, B. 1990: "The two faces of sociology: global or national?," in M. Featherstone (ed.) Global Culture: Nationalism, Globalization and Modernity. London: Sage. Short loan 301.2 GLO

 

 

5. The state I: theories of the state

Seminar topic: What have been the dominant approaches to understanding the modern state?

 

Poggi, G. 2001: “Theories of state formation” in K. Nash and A. Scott  (eds) The Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell 320.01 BLA

Poggi, G. 2003: "The Formation of the Modern State and the Institutionalization of Rule," in G. Delanty and E. Isin (eds) Handbook of Historical Sociology. London: Sage. 301.009 HAN

Albrow, M. 1996: The Global Age: State and Society Beyond Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press (especially Chapters 2 and 3). 301.24 ALB

Hall, J.A. and Ikenberry, J.G. 1989: The State. Open University Press 320.1 HAL

Held, D. 1989: Political Theory and the Modern State. Cambridge: Polity Press.

320.1 HEL

Elias, N. 1970: “Processes of State Formation and Nation Building”

http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/social/elias/state.html

 

 

6. The state II: government or governance?

Seminar topic: What is the difference between government and governance, and what are the implications for a political sociology of the state?

 

Cerny, P. 2003: “What next for the state?” in E. Kofman and G. Youngs (eds) Globalization: Theory and Practice (2nd Edition) London: Continuum. 320.01 GLO Scholte, J. A. 2000: Globalization: A Critical Introduction. Houndmills: Palgrave (especially Chapter 6) 330.9 SCH .

Larner, W. and Walters, W. 2004: Global governmentality : governing international spaces. London: Routledge. 327.101 GLO

Kooiman, J. 2003: Governing as governance. London: Sage 320.01 KOO

Rose, N. 1999: Powers of Freedom: Reframing Political Thought. Cambridge University Press. (especially Chapter 1) 320.01 ROS

Dean, M. 1999: Governmentality: Power and Rule in Modern Society. London: Sage.

301.1552 DEA

Barry, A. 2001: Political Machines: Governing a Technological Society. London: The Athlone Press. 338.9 BAR

 

 

7. The European Union and supra-national governance

Seminar topic: Is the EU a supra-national state?

 

Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implications of Europeanization. London: Routledge (especially Chapter 8; ‘The European Union as non-state’).

Rumford, C. 2002: The European Union: A Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell (especially Chapter 3). 382.9142 RUM

Jessop, B. 2004: “The EU and Recent Transformations in Statehood”

http://www.comp.lancs.ac.uk/sociology/papers/jessop-eu-transformations-statehood.pdf

Castells, M. 2000: End of Millennium (Second Edition). Oxford: Blackwell.

(esp. Chapter 5). 301.234 CAS

Weiler, J. 1999: The Constitution of Europe: Do the New Clothes Have an Emperor? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (especially Chapter 8) 382.9142 WEI

Dehousse, R. 1997: “European integration and the nation-state,” in M. Rhodes, P. Heywood and V. Wright (eds) Developments in West European Politics. Palgrave: Houndmills 320.94055 DEV

Walby, S. 1999: "The new regulatory state: the social powers of the European Union," British Journal of Sociology 50(1).

 

 

8. Europeanization: the social and political transformation of Europe

What do you understand by the term “Europeanization”?

 

Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implications of Europeanization. London: Routledge (especially Chapters 1 and 9).

Featherstone, K. and Radaelli, C. 2003: The politics of Europeanization. Oxford: OUP (especially Introduction)  382.9142 POL

Olsen, J.P. 2001: ‘The many faces of Europeanization’

http://www.arena.uio.no/publications/wp02_2.htm

Buller, J. and Gamble, A. 2001:  ‘Conceptualizing Europeanization’

http://aei.pitt.edu/archive/00001724/01/bullerandgamble.pdf

Featherstone, K. 2003: ‘In the name of Europe’

http://www.oup.co.uk/pdf/0-19-925209-2.pdf

Vink, M. ‘What is Europeanization?’

http://www.essex.ac.uk/ecpr/standinggroups/yen/paper_archive/2nd_yen_rm_papers/vink2002.pdf

 

 

9.  Nationalism I: theories of nationalism

Seminar Topic: How modern are nation-states?

 

Delanty, D. 2001: "Nationalism: Between Nation and State" in G. Ritzer and B. Smart (eds) Handbook of Social Theory. London: Sage. 301.01 HAN

Low, M. 2000: "Nationalism," in G. Browning, A. Halcli, and F. Webster (eds) Understanding Contemporary Society. London: Sage. 301.UND

Alter, P. 1989: Nationalism. London: Edward Arnold. 320.54 ALT

Anderson, B. 1983: Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origins and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso. 320.54 AND

Smith, A.D. 2001: Nationalism: Theory, Ideology, History. Cambridge: Polity.

320.54 SMI

Hobsbawm, E.J. 1992: Nations and Nationalism Since 1780: Programme, Myth, Reality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 320.54 HOB

Gellner, E. 1983: Nations and Nationalism. Oxford: Blackwell 320.54 GEL

 

 

10.  Nationalism II: globalization, nation-states and democracy

Seminar Topic: What is the relationship between globalization, the nation-state, and democracy?

 

Holton, R. 1998: Globalization and the Nation-state. Houndmills: Palgrave. 382.1 HOL

Dahl, R. 1999: "Can international organizations be democratic? A sceptics’ view," in I Shapiro and C. Hacker-Cordon (eds) Democracy’s Edges. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 321.8 DEM

Held, D. 1999: "The transformation of political community: rethinking democracy in the context of globalization," in I Shapiro and C. Hacker-Cordon (eds) Democracy’s Edges. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 321.8 DEM

Mann, M. 1997: “Has globalization ended the rise and rise of the nation-state?”

http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/soc/faculty/mann/Doc2.pdf

Schwarzmantel, J. 2001: Nationalism and fragmentation since 1989” in in K. Nash and A. Scott  (eds) The Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell 320.01 BLA

Lechner, F. and Boli, J. World Culture: Origins and Consequences (esp. Chapter 6) Oxford: Blackwell 301.2 LEC

Fulcher, J. 2000: "Globalisation, the nation-state and global society," The Sociological Review 48 (4).

 

 

11. The international system of states: world polity?

Seminar Topic: How useful is the ‘world polity’ thesis for understanding the impact of globalization on the nation-state?

 

Lechner, F. and Boli, J. World Culture: Origins and Consequences (esp. Chapters 2 and 3) Oxford: Blackwell 301.2 LEC

Meyer, J.W. “Globalization, National Culture, and the future of World Polity”

http://sociology.berkeley.edu/faculty/evans/John%20Meyer%20-%20Wei%20%20Lun%20Lecture%202003.pdf

Meyer, J. W. 2000: "Globalization: sources and effects on national states and societies," International Sociology 15(2).

“World Polity Theory”, Frank Lechner’s Globalization Webpage

http://www.emory.edu/SOC/globalization/theories02.html

Boli, J. and Thomas G.M. 1997: "World culture in the world polity: a century of international non-governmental organization," American Sociological Review, 62 (April), 171-190.

Boli, J. and Thomas, G. (eds) 1999: Constructing world culture: international nongovernmental organizations since 1875. Stanford: Stanford University Press (esp. Introduction and Section 1).

Lechner, F. and Boli, J. 2005: World culture: Origins and Consequences. Oxford: Blackwell 301.2 LEC

Meyer, J.W., Boli, J., Thomas, G.M., and Ramirez, F.O. 1997 "World society and the nation-state," American Journal of Sociology 103(1).

 

 

12. Civil society I: theories of civil society

Seminar Topic: What is the relationship between civil society and the state?

 

Khilnani, S. 2001: "The development of civil society," in S. Kaviraj and S. Khilnani (eds) Civil Society: History and Possibilities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 301 CIV

Kaviraj, S. 2001: "In search of civil society," in S. Kaviraj and S. Khilnani (eds) Civil Society: History and Possibilities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

301.CIV

Walzer, M. 1995: "The concept of civil society," in M. Walzer (ed.) Towards a Global Civil Society. Providence: Berghahan Books. 321.8 TOW

Kumar, K. 1993. "Civil society: An inquiry into the usefulness of an historical term," British Journal of Sociology, 44, 375-96.

Seligman, A.B. 1998: "Between public and private: towards a sociology of civil society," in R.W. Hefner (ed) Democratic Civility: the History and Cross-cultural possibility of a modern political ideal. New Brunswick: Transaction 321.8 DEM

Keane, J. 1988: Democracy and Civil Society. London: Verso. 321.8094 KEA

Foley, M. and Edwards, B. 1996: “The Paradox of Civil Society” Journal of Democracy 7(3)   http://www.un.org.vn/donor/civil/PARADOXCS.html#authbio1

Ray, L. 2001: “Civil society and the public sphere” in in K. Nash and A. Scott  (eds) The Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell 320.01 BLA

 

 

13. Civil society II: global civil society

Seminar Topic: Does global civil society exist?

 

Keane, J. 2003: Global Civil Society? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

321.8 KEA

Scholte, J.A. 2002: "Civil society and democracy in global governance," Global Governance, 8(3) 281-304.

Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2006:  “Political globalization” in G. Ritzer (ed) Blackwell Companion to Globalization. Oxford: Blackwell (available from CR)

Colas, A. 2001: “The promises of international civil society: global governance, cosmopolitan democracy and the end of sovereignty?”

www.theglobalsite.ac.uk

Colas, A. 2001: International Civil Society: Social Movements in World Politics  Cambridge: Polity 327 COL

Axford, B. and Huggins, R. 2001: "Globalization and the prospects for cosmopolitan world society" http://www.valt.helsinki.fi/vol/cosmopolis/papers/axford.html

Delanty, G. 2001: "Cosmopolitanism and violence: the limits of global civil society" European Journal of Social Theory 4(1).

 

 

14. European integration and European society

Seminar Topic: What are the prospects for a pan-European civil society?

 

Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implications of Europeanization. London: Routledge (esp. Chapter 10) 301.0094 DEL Rumford, C. The European Union: A Political Sociology. Blackwell, 2002 (especially Chapter 4). 382.9142 RUM

Axford, B. and Huggins, R. 1999: "Towards a post-national polity: the emergence of the network society in Europe," in D. Smith and S. Wright (eds) Whose Europe?: The Turn Towards Democracy. Oxford: Blackwell. 321.8094 WHO

Delanty, G. 1998: Social theory and European transformation: is there a European society? Sociological Research Online, 3(1) http://www.socresonline.org.uk/

Mann, M. 1998: "Is there as society called Euro?" in R. Axtmann (ed) Globalization and Europe: Theoretical and Empirical Investigations. London: Pinter.

338.94 GLO

Outhwaite, W. (2000) Toward a European civil society? Soundings, Autumn http://www.theglobalsite.ac.uk/press/008outhwaite.htm

Offe, C. 2002: "Is there, or can there be, a "European society," in Katenhusen, Ines, Lamping, Wolfram (eds) Demokratien in Europa. Euopaissche Integration, Institutionenwandel und die Zukunft des demokratischen Verfassungsstaates. Opladen: Leske and Budrich http://www.chrisrumford.org.uk/offe.htm

 

 

15. Transnational social movements

Seminar topic: Do transnational social movements have a positive impact on democracy?

 

Eder, K. 2003: "Social Movements and Democratization," in G. Delanty and E. Isin (eds) Handbook of Historical Sociology London: Sage. 301.009 HAN

Della Porta, D., Rucht, D., and Kriesi, H. 1999: Social Movements in a Globalizing World  New York: St Martins Press 301.242 SOC

Williams, M. (2003) “Social movements and global politics” in E. Kofman and G. Youngs (eds) Globalization: Theory and Practice (2nd Edition) London: Continuum. 320.01 GLO

Boli, J. and Thomas, G. 2004: ‘World culture in the world polity: a century of internal NGOs in F. Lechner and J. Boli (eds) The Globalization Reader (Second Edition) Short Loan 330.9 GLO

Koopmans, R. and Statham P. 1999: "Challenging the Liberal Nation-State? Postnationalism, Multiculturalsim, and the Collective Claims Making of Migrants and Ethnic Minorities in Britain and Germany" American Journal of Sociology 105:652-696.

Soysal, Y. 1997: "Changing parameters of citizenship and claims-making: Organized Islam in European public spheres," Theory and Society, 26(4).

Melucci, A. 1988: "Social movements and the democratization of everyday life," in J. Keane (ed.) Civil Society and the State. Verso: London. 321.8 KEA

Imig, D. and Tarrow, S. 2001: "Contentious Europeans": Protest and Politics in an Integrating Europe. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield. 322.43 CON

 

 

16. Transnational advocacy networks

Seminar topic: What are the main features of transnational advocacy networks (TANs), and how do they differ from social movements?

 

Keck, M. and Sikkink, K. 1999: "Transnational advocacy networks in international and regional politics," International Social Science Journal 51(159) (copy available from CR)

Keck, M. and Sikkink, K. 1998: Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics  (Cornell University Press) 322.43 KEC

Khagram, S., Riker, J. and Sikkink, K (eds) 2002: Restructuring World Politics: Transnational Social Movements, Networks, and Norms (especially Part 1) Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. 301.242 RES

Risse, T., Ropp, S. and Sikkink, K. (eds) 1999: The Power of Human Rights: International Norms and Domestic Change Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 323.4 POW

Keck, M. and Sikkink, K. 2004: “Environmental advocacy networks” in F. Lechner and J. Boli (eds) The Globalization Reader (Second Edition) Short Loan 330.9 GLO

 

 

17. Citizenship I: theories of citizenship

Seminar topic: How have theories of citizenship attempted to deal with the problem of social and economic inequalities?

 

Marshall, T.H. and Bottomore, T. 1991: Citizenship and Social Class (London: Pluto). 323.6 MAR

Turner, B. 1992: "Outline of a theory of citizenship," in C. Mouffe (ed.) Dimensions of Radical Democracy: Pluralism, Citizenship, Community. Verso: London.

321.8 DIM

Delanty, G. 2000: Citizenship in a Global Age. Buckingham: Open University Press (esp. Chapter 1). 323.6 DEL

Roche, M. 1995: "Citizenship and modernity," British Journal of Sociology, 46(4).

Giesen, B. and Eder, K. 2001: "European citizenship: an avenue for the social integration of Europe," in K. Eder and B. Giesen (eds) European Citizenship Between National Legacies and Postnational Projects. Oxford: Oxford University Press 323.6 EUR

Cruikshank, B. 1999: The Will To Empower: Democratic Citizens and Other Subjects. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. 321.80973 CRU

Lister, R. 2001: “Citizenship and gender” in K. Nash and A. Scott  (eds) The Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell 320.01 BLA

 

 

18. Citizenship II: citizenship in the global age

Seminar topic: What is at stake when we think about citizenship beyond the nation-state?

 

Delanty, G. 2000: Citizenship in a Global Age. Buckingham: Open University Press 323.6 DEL

Soysal, Y. 2001: “Postnational citizenship: reconfiguring the familiar terrain” in in K. Nash and A. Scott  (eds) The Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell 320.01 BLA

Soysal, Y. 1994: Limits of Citizenship: Migrants and Postnational Membership in Europe. Chicago University Press: Chicago. 323.6 SOY

Soysal, Y. 2001: "Changing boundaries of participation in European public spheres: reflections on citizenship and civil society," in K. Eder and B. Giesen (eds) European Citizenship Between National Legacies and Postnational Projects. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 323.6 EUR

Stevenson, N. 1997: "Globalization, national cultures and cultural citizenship," Sociological Quarterly 38(1).

Eder, K. and Giesen, B. 2001: "Citizenship and the making of European society: from the political to the social integration of Europe," in K. Eder and B. Giesen (eds) European Citizenship Between National Legacies and Postnational Projects. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 323.6 EUR

Stevenson, N. 2003: Cultural citizenship: cosmopolitan questions (Open University Press) 323.6 STE

 

 

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Course Specification 2004/5

Code:

PR3150

Course Value:

1

Status:

 

Title:

POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY

Availability:

 

Prerequisites:

 

Recommended:

 

Co-ordinator:

CHRIS RUMFORD

Course Staff

CHRIS RUMFORD

 

Aims:

 

 

1.        To provide an overview of current debates in political sociology.

2.        To raise questions about the ability of the social sciences to account for and interpret social change.

3.        To understand the relationship between state, society and the individual in a globalizing world.

 

Learning

Outcomes:

 

 

 

 

 

By the end of the course the students should:

1.                    1. have arrived at a systematic understanding of the major principles underlying contemporary social transformation;

2.                    2. be able to assess critically many major theories of social and political change:

3.                    3. be able to identify the sources of major social transformations in the contemporary world.

4.                    4. have arrived at an understanding of the relationship between state, society and the individual in a globalizing world.

 

 

Course

Content:

Topics to be covered on the course include:

 

  • the relationship between state, society, and the individual;
  • globalization;
  • the state and governance;
  • nationalism;
  • civil society;
  • citizenship;
  • social movements;
  • Europeanization.

 

Teaching & Learning Methods

One lecture per week

One seminar per week

 

Key Bibliography:

 

 

 

 

Recommended background texts:

Bauman, Z. 2000: Liquid Modernity. Cambridge: Polity.

Delanty, G. 2000: Citizenship in a Global Age. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking Europe: Social Theory and the Implications of Europeanization. London: Routledge.

Rumford, C. 2002: The European Union: A Political Sociology. Oxford: Blackwell.

In-course Feedback:

Questionnaires

 

Assessment:

 

Exam (%) 50

 

Coursework (%)   50

 

 

Deadlines: tba 

The information contained in this course outline is correct at the time of publication, but may be subject to change as part of the Department’s

policy of continuous improvement and development.  Every effort will be made to notify you of any such changes.