Political Sociology Notes

Political sociology examines how politics shapes and is shaped by society.
It emphasizes the interconnectedness of the political arena with other social institutions (Orum, 1983).
Max Weber's definition of Power: The probability that an actor within a social relationship will be in a position to carry out his own will despite resistance, regardless of the basis on which this probability rests.
Early political sociologists were concerned with how society influences the state.

Changes in society: The fragmentation and pluralization of values and lifestyles, mass media growth, consumerism, and the decline of stable occupations have politicized previously taken-for-granted social identities.
Shift in Focus: Contemporary political sociology emphasizes broader definitions of power and politics that encompass the formation, contestation, and transformation of identities and institutions.
It addresses cultural politics as the contestations and transformations of social identities and structures.

Instrumental Model: The state represses working-class resistance to exploitation, Economic power translates to political power.
Arbiter Model: The state has relative autonomy but ultimately serves bourgeoisie interests, ultimately economic power determines political power.
Functionalist Version: The state is