SOCY 21 Political Sociology

Politics exists everywhere, when certain decisions affect two or more human beings. Immediately emerge political questions: who makes the decision, and how? Is it a result of dialogue and negotiations, or unilateral imposition of the most powerful? Who benefits? Who loses? Political Sociology studies processes of decision making and power relations at larger levels of society. In this Introductory course we will study basic questions of political processes, starting with the historical formation of States in Europe during centuries of Wars, their violent expansion overseas by colonialism and settler societies, and the emergence of nationalism and democracy. We will study democratic decision-making processes, theories of power elites, pluralism and class domination. How democratic processes represent classes, ethnic groups and race, and how civil society, social movements and trade unions organize and demand representation, at local and global levels. Finally, we will discuss how globalization impacts democratic processes.

Instructor

Grinberg

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:SOC; WCult:W

Distributive and/or World Culture

Dist:SOC; WCult:W

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Offered

• Spring