Power and politics from a sociological perspective
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This document outlines the syllabus for a political sociology course taught over 10 weeks. It will examine power and politics from a sociological perspective, covering topics like the state, citizenship, race, sexuality, and inequality. Theories that will be discussed include those of Marx, Weber, and Foucault. Methods of instruction include lectures, case studies using films and documentaries, and workshops. Students will complete an essay and are encouraged to contribute ongoing discussions through online forums.
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Power and politics from a sociological perspective
- 1. Political Sociology I Week 1: Power & Politics from a Sociological Perspective Dr Alana Lentin
- 2. Introductions Who am I? Who are you?
- 3. What are we dealing with?
- 4. What are we dealing with? The State Citizenship Race Sexuality Governance Economics Gender Inequality Nations Social class Interdependence Exploitation Surveillance Globalization Social change Corruption Democracy Protest Punishment Power
- 5. Howard Zinn’s A People’s History
- 7. ‘Political sociology looks to “the social circumstances of politics, that is, to how politics both is shaped by and shapes other events in societies”.’ Anthony Orum (1983)
- 8. ‘Political sociology looks to “the social circumstances of politics, that is, to how politics both is shaped by and shapes other events in societies”.’ Anthony Orum (1983) “Is there a distinctive sociological contribution to the study of politics? If there is, it is perhaps in this attempt to make connections - between constitutional theory and class structure, between social base and political doctrine, between global changes and local politics.” Outhwaite and Martell (1998)
- 9. Shaping and being shaped by politics Think of an example where a government decision or a world political event had an impact on you? Have your actions ever had an impact on politics? If so, how?
- 10. “The chance of a man or a number of men to realise their own will in a communal action even against the resistance of others who are participating in the action.” Max Weber
- 12. Overview 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10
- 13. Teaching & Learning Lecture - main theoretical overview Reaction and critique Case study (introduced using film, webdocs, blogs, articles, photos...) Bringing theory and practice together (different method each week) Ongoing contributions (more at the end)
- 14. Week 2: Theories of Power Theory The relationship between the state, capital and citizens Marxist, neo-Marxist versus Weberian approaches Perspectives The Hacking Scandal Methods Mapping power exercise
- 15. Week 3: The Shrinking World Theory Globalization, interdependence, decolonial and border thinking Contrasting western approaches to globalization with historicised emphasis on interconnection Perspectives The Big Sell Out Methods Film
- 16. Week 4: Neoliberalism, Politics & Society Theory The relationship between the state and capital under neoliberalism Ideology and individualisation Perspectives Post-Hurricane Katrina Methods TV/Newspapers
- 17. Week 5: The Disciplinary & Punitive State Theory Foucauldian approaches to discipline, surveillance and punishment The panopticon Perspectives Prison-industrial complex: Prison Valley Methods Webdoc
- 18. Week 6: A Clash of Civilizations? Theory The challenge to western liberal ideology in the context of the ‘war on terror’ Critical, post-secular analyses of the relationship between the West and Islam Perspectives The ‘veil debate’ Methods ‘Couscous global’
- 19. Week 8:Citizenship & Inequality Theory Theories of citizenship Social exclusion and inequality (class, race, gender) Perspectives The UK post-riots Methods Blog analysis
- 20. Week 9: Democracy and its discontents Theory Comparative theories of democracy The functioning of ‘liberal democracy’ Perspectives Indian democracy Methods Articles
- 21. Week 10: Action for Change Theory Social movement theory After ‘alterglobalization’ Perspectives The anti-austerity movements (UK, Greece, Spain, US...) Methods Analysis of activist methods
- 22. Week 7: Assessment Workshop Guide to essay writing Work on essay plan Work around criteria and expectations Peer evaluation
- 23. Resources Study Direct for bonus resources, discussion forum, links to readings and links to... Slideshare Enhanced podcasts on Vimeo Facebook group
- 24. Your contributions Pick a topic Post it on the Open Forum by Week 2 Post on FB continuously whenever you like Report to the seminar
- 25. Friston 260 Mondays 11-1 & Friday am a.lentin@sussex.ac.uk (87)3470
Notes de l'éditeur
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- Introduce myself\n\nAsk students to pair up and interview each other:\n- Name\n- Course\n- Why Polsoc\n- 1 interesting fact\n\nResources: Coloured paper/scotch/markers\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- 1. Ask students to think about what they mean by politics using post-its.\nIndividual work\nPost on wall and group thematically.\n\nResources: post-its\n\n2. Reveal themes. How do they fit in with the students’ thoughts?\n
- Why read Howard Zinn’s ‘A People’s History of the American Century’ to find out more about the ideas behind political sociology?\n\nWatch this excerpt from the graphic version of the book. Note down the main points of what he is saying.\n\nAfter the film: Zinn shows us how world events not only have an effect on how we lead our lives, but also that we in turn can have an effect on the course history follows depending on how we react to what we experience.\n\nThis leads us to looking at the relationship between society and politics...\n
- It is important to understand, that political processes and institutions do not emerge in a void. In other words, while they do not always take public opinion into account, they nevertheless reflect social structures and have an impact upon them.\n\nFor example, the British class system has an important effect on the way in which governmental institutions and state bodies have been formed. We could not envisage labour rights or social security services without the history of class-based protest that made it possible for the reforms that enabled them to take place.\n\nSimilarly, events on the global political stage and the concomitant changes in the global economy have a direct impact on the way local lives are led - how we do our shopping, how we travel, what jobs we can get etc. \n\n
- It is important to understand, that political processes and institutions do not emerge in a void. In other words, while they do not always take public opinion into account, they nevertheless reflect social structures and have an impact upon them.\n\nFor example, the British class system has an important effect on the way in which governmental institutions and state bodies have been formed. We could not envisage labour rights or social security services without the history of class-based protest that made it possible for the reforms that enabled them to take place.\n\nSimilarly, events on the global political stage and the concomitant changes in the global economy have a direct impact on the way local lives are led - how we do our shopping, how we travel, what jobs we can get etc. \n\n
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- Ultimately political sociology is concerned with how power operates.\n\nAs Kate Nash points out (reading for Week 2), although Max Weber’s definition seems to imply that power can be exercised in a variety of circumstances - not just political ones - traditionally, political sociology has taken it as a given that the most important site of power is the state. Political sociologists have therefore mainly focused on how states have wielded power over individuals/citizens.\n\nHowever, as Nash also stresses, more recently analyses of power have shifted away from a sole focus on the state for a variety of reasons including \n- globalization and the lessening importance of the nation-state\n- a change in traditional class formations due to the changing nature of work (flexibilised, precarious, knowledge soceity)\n- a flexibilization and pluralization of values and lifestyles due to the greater acceptance of non-normative identities.\n\nDespite these cultural changes which Nash says have led to a focus in political sociology on cultural politics (e.g. the way in which race, gender, sexuality, location, age, ability, work, etc. affect one’s social and political positioning), more classically ‘hard-nosed’ issues continue to exist side-by-side with these more identity-based considerations.\n\nEspecially in today’s economic climate we might be seeing a return to more Marxian analyses of capital and the effect that the crisis of capitalism has on class relations. There seems to be an ever growing gap between the richest and the poorest in society, both at a domestic and on a global level. These disparities cannot be explained culturally alone. \n\nPolitical sociology today should be focused on how ideology, economics, the state, global capital, and individual social relations play a part in making sense of our political world. \n\n\n
- In this course, we will be focusing on how power is exercised in a variety of circumstances, prioritising the effect this has on individuals but also on how individuals - acting together with others - can challenge or overturn their circumstances.\n\nAs Michel Foucault has noted, power has no one centre. We are both the objects and the subjects of power meaning that we all exercise power in different circumstances. However, we do not all have the possibility to affect political or institutional power.\n\nWe see power in operation most obviously at the times in which power is being resisted. Here we see individuals without power attempting to become the subjects of power (e.g during revolutions or other social mobilisations - think of the events of the Arab Spring) and we also see the state and its institutions exercising its power against that resistance (for example Syrian President Assad’s violent repression of protestors). \n\nIn this course we will be paying a lot of attention to power as a process that produces inequalities but also at the way in which people can resist their exploitation.\n
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