Political Sociology

Contents: Preface. 1. Theories of political sociology. 2. Theories of state formation. 3. Political power. 4. Legitimacy and power politics. 5. Democratic equality. 6. Civil society and political governance. 7. Global citizenship. 8. Feminist political economy. 9. Political corruption. 10. Political correctness. 11. Electoral politics and social welfare. 12. Media and political process. Bibliography. index.

"Political sociology is the study of the social bases of politics. It also looks at how major social trends can affect the political process, as well as exploring how various social forces work together to change political policies. Several theoretical models have been given for political sociology, including the power-elite model, the pluralist model and the Marxist political-economic model.

This comprehensive book offers an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of political sociology. It examines the inter-relationship of state and civil society through a number of contemporary political issues. It shows the broad social bases of politics and identifies how politics and actions by government can influence the fate of nations and their citizens. The book will be a dependable reference tool for students, teachers, researchers and scholars of political sociology and related subjects." (jacket)