POL 001 - Political Sociology

The goal of this course is introduce you to the major ideas and debates within the field of political sociology. This course is organized around the exploration of a number of specific questions such as: Who actually has power over the state and state policy? What factors influence public opinion, the way people choose to vote, or whether or not people vote at all? Where does democracy come from? What factors promote (or mitigate against) social and political change? By reviewing competing answers to these questions, I hope we can engage in a deeper discussion about the nature of (and the role of the state in) power in society, the political process, political participation, democracy, and social change.

Furthermore, this course aims to acquaint students with political sociology, a subfield of sociology that considers political processes and power in society. Furthermore, this course aims to introduce social aspects of politics and nature and distribution of power in society: examines the dynamic relationship of the political process with institutions and different population groups in society. 

Political sociology is the study of the social organization of power. This course covers the major themes and debates in political sociology—a diverse field both in terms of the range of topics addressed and the theoretical perspectives used. Our main purpose will be to do an overview of the major perspectives and arguments comprising the field, including classical and contemporary readings. The issues studied in this field include the nature of power and the state, relations between state and society, social movements, political organization and civic participation, political culture, voting behavior, and citizenship.