Sociology 216PT - Special Topics in Sociology: 'Political Sociology'

This course focuses on political processes and power -- in particular, which groups have the ability to implement their political, social, and economic agendas, which ones do not, and why. We will explore the means by which certain groups affect political outcomes that shape society and social- political reality. In particular, we will concentrate on the interrelationship between the state, the market, and civil society, and investigate how this intersection has informed the politics of our time. By the end of this course, students are expected to have achieved an understanding of the major theoretical perspectives and debates in political sociology, and a sense of the historical and contemporary organizations, parties, classes, and other groups that influence social change. We will focus mostly on western democracies, especially the U.S., but other countries and political arrangements will also be included. Globalization as an on-going social, political, and economic system will be discussed throughout the semester.

Prereq: 4 credits in sociology.