DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
PR3150
POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY 2006-07
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 seminar combined.
Topics
covered
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
First essay –
Second essay –
Third essay –
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. How can we understand the changing nature of borders under conditions of globalization?
13. What constitutes civil society, and how can it enhance democracy?
14. Is it possible to talk of civil society beyond the nation-state?
15. Does a European society exist?
16. “Transnational Advocacy Networks have replaced social movements as the most important agents of political change”. Discuss.
17. "In the work of
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:
Lecture
Programme
1. Political
sociology: understanding social transformations
Seminar topic: How can we best characterise social transformations in the contemporary period?
Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking
Gane, N. (2004) The Future of Social Theory.
Bauman, Z. 2000: Liquid Modernity.
Urry, J. 2000: Sociology Beyond
Societies: Mobilities for the Twenty-first century. Routledge:
Outhwaite, W. and Ray, L. 2005: Social Theory and Postcommunism.
Nash, K. (2000) Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics, and Power.
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.
Robertson, R. 2001: "Globalization
theory 2000+ : major problematics," in G.
Ritzer and B. Smart (eds), Handbook of Social Theory.
Axford, B. 1995: The Global System: Economics, Politics, and
Culture.
Delanty, G. and
Rumford, C. 2006: “Political
globalization” in G. Ritzer (ed) Blackwell
Companion to Globalization.
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.
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
Lechner, F. and Boli, J. World Culture: Origins and Consequences (esp.
Chapter 2)
Albrow, M 1996: The Global Age: State
and Society Beyond Modernity
Axford, B. 2000: "Globalization,"
in G. Browning, A. Halcli, and F. Webster (eds) Understanding Contemporary
Society.
Scholte, J. A. 2000: Globalization: A Critical Introduction. Houndmills: Palgrave 330.9 SCH
Walters, M. 1995: Globalization.
Beck, U. 2000: What is Globalization?
Lechner, F.
and Boli, J. (eds) 2004: The
Globalization Reader (Second Edition)
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.
Nash, K. (2000) Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics, and Power.
Robertson, R. 1992: Globalization:
Social Theory and Global Culture (especially Chapter 1 "Globalization
as a Problem")
Albrow; M. 1998: "
Urry, J. 2000: "
Turner, B. 1990: "The two faces
of sociology: global or national?," in M. Featherstone (ed.) Global
Culture: Nationalism, Globalization and Modernity.
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.
Poggi, G. 2003: "The Formation of the
Albrow, M. 1996: The Global Age: State
and Society Beyond Modernity.
Hall, J.A. and Ikenberry, J.G. 1989: The State. Open University Press 320.1 HAL
Held, D. 1989: Political Theory and the
320.1 HEL
Elias, N. 1970: “Processes of State Formation
and
http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/social/elias/state.html
6.
The state II: from government to 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
Larner, W. and Walters, W. 2004: Global
governmentality : governing international spaces.
Kooiman, J. 2003: Governing as governance.
Rose, N. 1999: Powers of Freedom:
Reframing Political Thought.
Dean, M. 1999: Governmentality: Power
and Rule in Modern Society.
301.1552 DEA
Barry, A. 2001: Political Machines:
Governing a Technological Society.
7.
The European Union and supra-national governance
Seminar topic: Is the EU a supra-national state?
Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking
Rumford, C. 2002: The European Union: A
Political Sociology.
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).
(esp. Chapter 5). 301.234 CAS
Weiler, J. 1999: The Constitution of
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
What do you understand by the term “Europeanization”?
Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking
Featherstone, K. and Radaelli, C. 2003: The politics of Europeanization.
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
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.
Low, M. 2000: "Nationalism," in
G. Browning, A. Halcli, and F. Webster (eds) Understanding Contemporary
Society.
Alter, P. 1989: Nationalism.
Anderson, B. 1983: Imagined Communities:
Reflections on the Origins and Spread of Nationalism.
Smith, A.D. 2001: Nationalism: Theory,
Ideology, History.
320.54 SMI
Hobsbawm, E.J. 1992: Nations and
Nationalism Since 1780: Programme, Myth, Reality.
Gellner, E. 1983: Nations and Nationalism.
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.
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.
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.
Lechner, F. and Boli, J. World Culture: Origins and Consequences (esp.
Chapter 6)
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)
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:
Lechner, F. and Boli, J. 2005: World culture:
Origins and Consequences.
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.
Changing nature of political borders
Seminar
topic: Has globalization led to a ‘borderless world’?
.
Rumford, C. 2006: ‘Theorizing borders’ European Journal of Social Theory 9(2) (copy available from CR)
Rumford, C. 2006: ‘Borders and bordering’
in G. Delanty (ed) Europe and Asia: Towards a New
Cosmopolitanism
McNeill, D. 2004 New
Andreas, P. 20000: Border games: policing the U.S.-Mexico divide Cornell University Press 364.157 AND
Balibar, E. 1998: ‘The borders of
Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking
Walters, W. 2006: ‘Border\control’ European Journal of Social Theory 9(2) (copy available from CR)
Walters, W. 2006: ‘Rethinking borders beyond the state’ Comparative European Politics 4(2/3)
http://www.palgrave-journals.com/cep/journal/v4/n2/pdf/6110076a.pdf
Rumford, C. 2006:
‘Rethinking European Spaces:
Territory, Borders, Governance’ Comparative European Politics 4(2/3)
http://www.palgrave-journals.com/cep/journal/v4/n2/pdf/6110089a.pdf
13.
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
Kaviraj, S. 2001: "In search of civil
society," in
301.CIV
Walzer, M. 1995: "The concept of civil
society," in M. Walzer (ed.) Towards a Global Civil Society.
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.
Keane, J. 1988: Democracy and Civil
Society.
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.
14.
Civil society II: global civil society
Seminar Topic: Does global civil society exist?
Keane, J. 2003: Global Civil Society?
321.8 KEA
Delanty, G. and
Rumford, C. 2006: “Political
globalization” in G. Ritzer (ed) Blackwell
Companion to Globalization.
Colas, A. 2001: “The promises of international civil
society: global governance, cosmopolitan democracy and the end of sovereignty?”
Colas, A. 2001: International Civil Society: Social Movements in World Politics
Delanty, G. 2001: "Cosmopolitanism and violence: the limits of global civil society" European Journal of Social Theory 4(1).
Baker, G. and
Laxer, G. and Halperin, S. (eds) 2003: Global Civil Society and its Limits. Houndmills: Palgrave 327 GLO
15.
Transnational social movements and transnational advocacy networks
Seminar topic: What are the main features of transnational advocacy networks, and how do they differ from social movements?
Della Porta, D., Rucht, D., and Kriesi, H.
1999: Social Movements in a Globalizing
World
Williams, M. (2003) “Social movements and
global politics” in E. Kofman and G. Youngs (eds) Globalization: Theory and Practice (2nd Edition)
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
Melucci, A. 1988: "Social movements
and the democratization of everyday life," in J. Keane (ed.) Civil
Society and the State. Verso:
Imig, D. and Tarrow, S. 2001: "Contentious
Europeans": Protest and Politics in an Integrating
Keck, M. and Sikkink, K. 1998: Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks
in International Politics (
Khagram, S., Riker, J. and Sikkink, K (eds)
2002: Restructuring World Politics:
Transnational Social Movements, Networks, and Norms (especially Part 1)
Risse, T., Ropp, S. and Sikkink, K. (eds)
1999: The Power of Human Rights:
International Norms and Domestic Change
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
16.
European integration and European society
Seminar Topic: What are the prospects for a pan-European civil society?
Delanty, G. and Rumford, C. 2005: Rethinking
Axford, B. and Huggins, R. 1999:
"Towards a post-national polity: the emergence of the network society in
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.
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
17. Citizenship I: theories of citizenship
Seminar topic: How have theories of citizenship attempted to deal with the problem of social and economic inequalities?
Turner, B. 1992: "Outline of a theory
of citizenship," in C. Mouffe (ed.) Dimensions of Radical Democracy:
Pluralism, Citizenship, Community. Verso:
321.8 DIM
Delanty, G. 2000: Citizenship in a
Global Age. Buckingham: Open University Press (esp. Chapter 1). 323.6
Roche, M. 1995: "Citizenship and modernity," British Journal of Sociology, 46(4).
Giesen, B. and
Cruikshank, B. 1999: The Will To Empower:
Democratic Citizens and Other Subjects.
Lister, R. 2001: “Citizenship and gender”
in K. Nash and A. Scott (eds) The Blackwell Companion to Political
Sociology.
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
Soysal, Y. 2001: “Postnational citizenship:
reconfiguring the familiar terrain” in in K. Nash and A. Scott (eds) The
Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology.
Soysal, Y. 1994: Limits of Citizenship:
Migrants and Postnational Membership in
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.
Stevenson, N. 1997: "Globalization, national cultures and cultural citizenship," Sociological Quarterly 38(1).
Stevenson, N. 2003: Cultural citizenship: cosmopolitan questions (Open University Press) 323.6 STE
Course Specification 2006/7
|
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: |
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:
|
||||
|
Teaching & Learning
Methods |
One lecture per week One seminar per week |
||||
|
Key Bibliography: |
Recommended
background texts: Bauman, Z. 2000:
Liquid Modernity. Delanty, G. 2000: Citizenship
in a Global Age. Buckingham: Open University Press. Delanty, G. and Rumford,
C. 2005: Rethinking Rumford, C. 2002: The European Union: A Political Sociology.
|
||||
|
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.