Bachelor
2024/2025
Political Sociology
Type:
Elective course (Sociology)
Area of studies:
Sociology
Delivered by:
School of Sociology
Where:
Faculty of Social Sciences
When:
4 year, 1 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Aleksei Pobedonostsev
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
30
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The “Political Sociology” course is designed to provide undergraduate students with a general knowledge of political matters through the lens of sociological theories and methodology. In this course, students will employ various methodological approaches to examine the fundamental connections between political and social issues. We will start with discussing the social foundation of political power and its multiple faces. Why do some people have power over others? Why is political power so deeply embodied in our social relations? Then, we will illuminate the difference between social and political actions and try to understand the social limits of political behavior. Why is not every social action considered political? How do people participate in politics and why? Then, we will discuss the key social actors of politics. Who gets political power in society and how? Why do people obey those who have power? Who is the political elite and how do people get into the ruling class? Then, students will discuss various social forms of organizing politics and political participation. Why is the modern state the key political and social institution of our time? Why do people join political parties and social movements? Is the direct rule of the people possible in a democracy? We will finish our classes with discussing the theories of political and social changes. In sum, in lectures and seminars, students will have the opportunity to reveal the social nature of “the political” and the deepest social roots of politics in the contemporary world.
Learning Objectives
- Use the basic theories and concepts of political sociology; Understand the basic topics of political sociology, including power, politics, political changes, ideology, political participation, electoral behavior, and more. Understand different basic perspectives, concepts, discussions, and theories about political sociology; Improve verbal communication skills through interactive class discussions.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- The ability to use academic literature for the formulation of research questions/problems.
- The ability to structure the essays as academic papers.
- The quality of the academic language.
- The ability to use the concepts of political sociology.
- The ability to formulate research plans for investigating research problems.
- Knowledge of the content of mandatory texts.
- The ability to analyze the text through the prism of sociological theories and concepts
- The ability to answer the lecturer’s questions.
- The ability to formulate and ask questions about texts.
- The ability to analyze current political issues through the prism of basic concepts of political sociology.
- The ability to formulate ideas and judgments about text in seminar classes.
Course Contents
- What is politics? What is political power?
- Who governs? The role of elites in politics.
- Political regimes and political systems
- Political and electoral behavior
- Social movements, ideologies and populism
- The crisis of democracy and political representation
- The sociology of political and social changes
Assessment Elements
- EssayThe final essay gives 50 % of the final grade. The final essay should be a minimum of 3,000 words (excluding reference and appendices). The essay can be written in Russian or English, but writing an essay in English is a bonus to the final grade. The essay topics should be agreed with the lecturer. The essay should be submitted by the end of the course (the final deadline will be communicated to students by the lecturer). To write the essay, students must (1) choose one of the course topics or propose their own topic, (2) read the recommended reading (any other academic literature is welcome), (3) formulate a meaningful research problem/question, (4) propose a research design for investigating the research problem/question (5) write a coherent text using concepts from political sociology. Ideally, the essays should be written in such a way that they can be published in an academic journal. If the student does not submit the essay on time, the student’s final grade for the course will not exceed 5 (thus, the final grade for the course will be based only on the points that the student received for seminar participation or response papers).
- Participation in seminarsAttendance at all classes is very desirable. Skipping lectures and seminars is not welcomed. To encourage students to attend all classes, participation in seminar discussions gives 50% of the final grade. The attendance of seminar classes implies active participation in seminar discussions. Reading is crucial for having a fruitful and enjoyable discussion in class. Therefore, every student must read all mandatory reading materials assigned for seminar discussions. Reading additional materials (from the advanced reading list) is welcome but optional. Advanced reading should be considered as material for further independent study outside the classroom. The students’ assessment for participating in the seminars will depend on whether they have read their homework, participated in the literature discussion, answered the lecturer’s questions and formulated their own questions and comments.
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Power : a radical view, Lukes, S., 2005
- What is populism?, Muller, J.- W., 2016
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Best, H., Higley, J., & Cotta, M. (2018). The Palgrave Handbook of Political Elites. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1357763
- Buying time : the delayed crisis of democratic capitalism, Streeck, W., 2014
- How democracies die, Levitsky, S., 2018
- Schmitt, C. (2007). The Concept of the Political : Expanded Edition (Vol. Expanded ed). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=332203