Sociology 212: Political Sociology

What is power and what forms can it take? What are nation states and why have they become the dominant form of ruling over people? Who elects our political representatives: markets or voters? Is democracy the best system of government? Are there viable alternatives to it? How is democracy achieved and what threats does it face in the current era? In an increasing globalized world, does it make sense to refer to citizens, states, and power in national terms? These are some of the questions we analyze in this course, which reviews major approaches to political sociology through explorations of the following topics: state and nation formation, civil society, citizenship, democracy, elections, contentious politics, populism, terrorism, globalization, markets, media coverage, and the environment. A strong emphasis is put on historical analyses and empirical studies.