Introduction to politics and society / Shaun Best.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Best, Shaun.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political sociology.

Physical Description:

275 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

London ; Thousand Oaks, Calif. : SAGE, 2002.

Summary:

This comprehensive book works through the key concepts and theoretical contributions in the study of politics. It explains the meanings of 'power', 'authority', 'coercion', 'surveillance' and 'legitimacy' and the ideas of Weber, Marx, Foucault, Bauman, Sennett, Habermas, Baudrillard and Giddens are discussed. The book: traces the central tendencies in the movement from modern to post-modern society; the significance of 'Third Way' politics is addressed and its strengths and weaknesses are spelt out; and the decline of organized politics and the development of new social movements is placed in the proper historical and theoretical context.

Introduction to Politics and Society draws on examples from popular political culture in order to convey how politics operates in the contemporary world. Examples illustrate the meaning of theories and show the relevance of central theoretical debates.

Contents:

1. Introduction: Reading the 'Social' and the 'Political' 1

2. Power, Authority and the State 6

3. Postmodern Politics 40

4. Marxist and Elite Theories of Power 78

5. Pluralism and Political Parties 105

6. New Social Movements 145

7. Globalisation and Power 166

8. War 209

9. Voting Behaviour 236.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0761971300

0761971319

OCLC:

50590730