Alan Scott – författare

It was widely assumed by intellectuals from antiquity to the Middle Ages that the beauty and regularity of the heavens was a sign of their superior life. Through this belief the stars gained an important position in Greek religion, and speculations on their nature figured prominently in discussions of human psychology and eschatology.In the third century AD the influential Christian theologian Origen included Hellenistic theories on the life and nature of the stars in his cosmology. This marked an interesting episode in the history of the idea, but it also had important implications for early Christian theology. Although he was condemned as heretical for these (and other) speculations, he was successful in incorporating traditional philosophical theories about the stars into a biblical theology.

Recent years have seen a growing emphasis upon the need for universities to contribute to the economic, social and environmental well-being of the regions in which they are situated, and for closer links between the university and the region. This book brings together a cross-disciplinary and cross-national team of experts to consider the reasons for, and the implications of, the new relationship between universities and territorial development. Examining the complex interactions between the 'inner life' of the university and its external environment, it poses the question: 'Can the modern university manage the governance and balancing of these, sometimes conflicting, demands'? Against a backdrop of ongoing processes of globalization, there is growing recognition of the importance of sub-national development strategies - processes of regionalization, governmental decentralization and sub-national mobilization, that provide a context for universities to become powerful partners in the process of managing sub-national economic, social and environmental change. Allied to this, the continued evolution of the knowledge economy has freed up location decisions within knowledge-intensive industries, while paradoxically innovation in the production of goods and services has become still more 'tied' to locations that can nurture the human and intellectual capital upon which those industries rely. Thus cities and regions in which higher education services are concentrated have, or are thought to have, a competitive advantage. With universities facing ever increasing pressures of commercialization, which deepen the engagement between universities and external stakeholders, including those based in their localities, the tension between the university's academic (basic research and teaching) mission and external demands has never been greater. This book provides a long overdue analysis, bringing all the competing issues together, synthesizing the key conceptual debates and analyzing the way in which they have been experienced in different local, regional and national contexts and with what effects.

This handbook brings national and thematic case studies together to examine a variety of populist politics from local and comparative perspectives in the Asia Pacific. The chapters consider key and cross cutting themes such as populism and nationalism, religion, ethnicity and gender, as well as authoritarianism. They show how populist politics alters the way governments mediate state-society relations.The essays in this volume consider:diverse approaches in populist politics, for example, post-colonial, strategic vs ideational, growth and redistribution, leadership styles, and in what ways they are similar to, or different from, populist discourses in Europe and the United Statesunder what social, political, economic and structural conditions populist politics has emerged in the Asia-Pacific regionnational case studies drawn from South, East and Southeast Asia as well as the Pacific analyzing themes such as media, religion, gender, medical populism, corruption and cronyism, and inclusive vs exclusive forms of populist politicsmodes and techniques of social and political mobilization that populist politicians employ to influence people and their impact on the way democracy is conceived and practiced in the Asia PacificAs a systematic account of populist ideologies, strategies, leaders and trends in the Asia Pacific, this handbook is essential reading for scholars of area studies, especially in the Asia Pacific, politics and international relations, and political and social theory.

This handbook brings national and thematic case studies together to examine a variety of populist politics from local and comparative perspectives in the Asia Pacific. The chapters consider key and cross cutting themes such as populism and nationalism, religion, ethnicity and gender, as well as authoritarianism. They show how populist politics alters the way governments mediate state-society relations.The essays in this volume consider:diverse approaches in populist politics, for example, post-colonial, strategic vs ideational, growth and redistribution, leadership styles, and in what ways they are similar to, or different from, populist discourses in Europe and the United Statesunder what social, political, economic and structural conditions populist politics has emerged in the Asia-Pacific regionnational case studies drawn from South, East and Southeast Asia as well as the Pacific analyzing themes such as media, religion, gender, medical populism, corruption and cronyism, and inclusive vs exclusive forms of populist politicsmodes and techniques of social and political mobilization that populist politicians employ to influence people and their impact on the way democracy is conceived and practiced in the Asia PacificAs a systematic account of populist ideologies, strategies, leaders and trends in the Asia Pacific, this handbook is essential reading for scholars of area studies, especially in the Asia Pacific, politics and international relations, and political and social theory.

Neoliberalism has been one of the most hotly contested themes in academic and political debate over the last 30 years. Given the global and persistent influence of neoliberal ideas on contemporary styles of governance, social-service provision, and public policy, this intensive interest is understandable. At the same time, the use of the term has become loose, vague, and over-extended, particularly in the extensive critical literature. Rather than engage in further critique, or in the reconstruction of the history of neoliberalism, this volume seeks to bring analytical clarity to the ongoing debate.Drawing inspiration from the work of the Hungarian economic historian, Karl Polanyi, Remaking Market Society combines critique, original formulations, and case studies to form an analytical framework that identifies the key instruments of neoliberal governance. These include privatization, marketization, and liberalization. The case studies examine the development of neoliberal instruments (reform of the British civil service); their refinement (reform of higher education in England and Wales); and their dissemination across national borders (EU integration policies). Rather than look back nostalgically on the post-war welfare-state settlement, in the final chapter the authors ask why the coalitions that supported that settlement broke down in the face of the neoliberal reform movement.This highly original work offers a distinctive transdisciplinary approach to political economy, and therefore is an important read for students and academics who are interested in political economy as well as social theory and political philosophy.

Both the force and the limitations of the globalizing forces operating in the world today can best be understood through an analysis of their concrete manifestations. Using examples from the people's art of Potsdammer Platz to the ways in which Western cultural icons are reinterpreted in Asian magazines, this collection of essays unpicks the rhetoric of globalization in political analysis, cultural theory and urban and economic sociology and exposes the myth of the global society as in many cases a dangerous exaggeration.

Both the force and the limitations of the globalizing forces operating in the world today can best be understood through an analysis of their concrete manifestations. Using examples from the people's art of Potsdammer Platz to the ways in which Western cultural icons are reinterpreted in Asian magazines, this collection of essays unpicks the rhetoric of globalization in political analysis, cultural theory and urban and economic sociology and exposes the myth of the global society as in many cases a dangerous exaggeration.

First published in 1992, this clear and assured book reveals the blind alleys of sociological theory and research. The authors present a bold and persuassive case for abandoning the quest for foundationalism in the social science. Well informed and cogently argued, this will be of particular intrest to students of Sociology and Philosophy.

First published in 1992, this clear and assured book reveals the blind alleys of sociological theory and research. The authors present a bold and persuassive case for abandoning the quest for foundationalism in the social science. Well informed and cogently argued, this will be of particular intrest to students of Sociology and Philosophy.

Neoliberalism has been one of the most hotly contested themes in academic and political debate over the last 30 years. Given the global and persistent influence of neoliberal ideas on contemporary styles of governance, social-service provision, and public policy, this intensive interest is understandable. At the same time, the use of the term has become loose, vague, and over-extended, particularly in the extensive critical literature. Rather than engage in further critique, or in the reconstruction of the history of neoliberalism, this volume seeks to bring analytical clarity to the ongoing debate.Drawing inspiration from the work of the Hungarian economic historian, Karl Polanyi, Remaking Market Society combines critique, original formulations, and case studies to form an analytical framework that identifies the key instruments of neoliberal governance. These include privatization, marketization, and liberalization. The case studies examine the development of neoliberal instruments (reform of the British civil service); their refinement (reform of higher education in England and Wales); and their dissemination across national borders (EU integration policies). Rather than look back nostalgically on the post-war welfare-state settlement, in the final chapter the authors ask why the coalitions that supported that settlement broke down in the face of the neoliberal reform movement.This highly original work offers a distinctive transdisciplinary approach to political economy, and therefore is an important read for students and academics who are interested in political economy as well as social theory and political philosophy.

First published in 1916 in German, this important work has never been translated into English--until now. Simmel attacks such questions as "What do we see in a work of Art?" and "What do Rembrandt's portraits tell us about human nature?" This is a major work by a major thinker concerning one of the world's most important painters.

First published in 1916 in German, this important work has never been translated into English--until now. Simmel attacks such questions as "What do we see in a work of Art?" and "What do Rembrandt's portraits tell us about human nature?" This is a major work by a major thinker concerning one of the world's most important painters.

The Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology brings together thirty-eight original essays covering the wide inter-disciplinary field of political sociology. Represents the most comprehensive overview available in the field of political sociologyCovers traditional questions as well as emerging topics including recent debates on gender, citizenship, and political identityIncludes detailed editorial introduction, abstracts, further reading lists, and a consolidated bibliography.

The first volume of the series covers the key themes of political sociology as these have emerged in the course of the (sub-)discipline's development: state formation; legitimation; power; regulation, and inequality. The widening of the focus of political sociology from the nation-state and from models of power based on agents' wills and explicit agendas is reflected in the selection. The volume includes both 'standard' and highly-influential contributions - such as Elias on violence, Habermas on legitimation crisis or Lukes on power - and works that are perhaps less well known, but which represent a representative cross-section of themes and debates in the area. The historical formation of the state and its shifting spatial reach are covered in the first and final sections respectively. In between, both substantial issues - e.g. the changing nature of social policy and welfare regimes - and a wide range of theoretical and conceptual issues - are discussed by leading representative of the vying positions within the field.

The articles collected together in this volume are concerned with why and how people get involved in politics, whether through formal mechanisms such as voting, through some of the more informal means and settings of social movement networks and political protest, or through engagement in public debate. But just as important is the question of why people do not get involved in politics. What social conditions, ideas and values facilitate or discourage political activity? How is it that some people are systematically disempowered in democratic societies in comparison with others? What social forms offer the most promise for extending and deepening democracy? This volume brings togther the most seminal papers, which together form a record of how political sociologists since the 1970s have framed questions about the range and limits of democratic political engagement and developed concepts and methodologies in order to research the answers to those questions.

In the third and final volume of this series, we examine the implications of the accelerating globalization process for the nation-state. Are globalization, the rise of regional and international institutions, and the international agreements on human rights actually reducing and transforming state sovereignty? Clearly ethnic, racial, and religious identities remain salient, but how do they correspond to, intersect with, and overflow continuous nation-state spaces that are demarcated by legally recognized borders? In what conditions do democratic state-building projects actually enhance political, civil, and social rights, and when do they tend to contribute to the consolidation of elite power? Should democratic forces put their faith in a cosmopolitan vision of global citizenship, especially when they tackle quintessentially international and transnational problems like peace, aboriginal rights, and the protection of the environment? In this volume's collection of contemporary political sociologists' key articles, we present work that explores the exposure of the nation-state and the post-World War II world system to global forces.

Political sociology studies how politics shapes and is shaped by society. With the advent of economic, political and cultural globalisation there has been a distinct shift away from state and class based theories towards cultural politics and postmodern approaches. Key topics include social movements, globalisation, citizenship and the changing nature of democracy. This essential collection comprises three volumes which reprint the most important and influential journal articles and papers in modern political sociology, with introductions to each volume by the series editors. The volumes are designed to improve access to the journal literature for libraries expanding their collections and provide scholars with a convenient and authoritative reference source. The collection provides a set of foundational writings, edited by well known scholars who are sensitive to the different currents of the debate in both the political science and sociology literatures. By providing an overview of the post-1969 literature the collection avoids overlap with exisiting volumes and offers libraries the most up-to-date collection available.

Recent years have seen a growing emphasis upon the need for universities to contribute to the economic, social and environmental well-being of the regions in which they are situated, and for closer links between the university and the region. This book brings together a cross-disciplinary and cross-national team of experts to consider the reasons for, and the implications of, the new relationship between universities and territorial development. Examining the complex interactions between the 'inner life' of the university and its external environment, it poses the question: 'Can the modern university manage the governance and balancing of these, sometimes conflicting, demands'? Against a backdrop of ongoing processes of globalization, there is growing recognition of the importance of sub-national development strategies - processes of regionalization, governmental decentralization and sub-national mobilization, that provide a context for universities to become powerful partners in the process of managing sub-national economic, social and environmental change. Allied to this, the continued evolution of the knowledge economy has freed up location decisions within knowledge-intensive industries, while paradoxically innovation in the production of goods and services has become still more 'tied' to locations that can nurture the human and intellectual capital upon which those industries rely. Thus cities and regions in which higher education services are concentrated have, or are thought to have, a competitive advantage. With universities facing ever increasing pressures of commercialization, which deepen the engagement between universities and external stakeholders, including those based in their localities, the tension between the university's academic (basic research and teaching) mission and external demands has never been greater. This book provides a long overdue analysis, bringing all the competing issues together, synthesizing the key conceptual debates and analyzing the way in which they have been experienced in different local, regional and national contexts and with what effects.

First published in 1990, Ideology and the New Social Movements provides an incisive and much-needed assessment of debates concerning the nature and motivation of social movements and collective action. In particular, Alan Scott focuses upon the competing theoretical explanations of the rise and character of the ‘new social movements’ in North America and Europe. After introducing the major themes in the debate about new social movements, the book reviews mainstream theories, both functionalist and neo-Marxist, then moves on to a discussion of sociological, economic and political writings. Specific examples, most notably the rise of the West German Greens, are used to assess the value of the different approaches. Alan Scott argues that theories of long-term change, such as the transition to the ‘post-industrial’ society, give insufficient attention to the political and organizational aspects of social movements, and exaggerate the differences between older, class based, movements and ‘new’ politics. He concludes by arguing that the idea of social closure that can accommodate questions of allegiance and identity, and control of resources has considerable explanatory power, and can encompass the cultural and political aspects of social movements. This book will be of interest to students of sociology, political science and urban studies.

First published in 1990, Ideology and the New Social Movements provides an incisive and much-needed assessment of debates concerning the nature and motivation of social movements and collective action. In particular, Alan Scott focuses upon the competing theoretical explanations of the rise and character of the ‘new social movements’ in North America and Europe. After introducing the major themes in the debate about new social movements, the book reviews mainstream theories, both functionalist and neo-Marxist, then moves on to a discussion of sociological, economic and political writings. Specific examples, most notably the rise of the West German Greens, are used to assess the value of the different approaches. Alan Scott argues that theories of long-term change, such as the transition to the ‘post-industrial’ society, give insufficient attention to the political and organizational aspects of social movements, and exaggerate the differences between older, class based, movements and ‘new’ politics. He concludes by arguing that the idea of social closure that can accommodate questions of allegiance and identity, and control of resources has considerable explanatory power, and can encompass the cultural and political aspects of social movements. This book will be of interest to students of sociology, political science and urban studies.

The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology is a complete reference guide, reflecting the scope and quality of the discipline, and highlighting emerging topics in the field.  Global in focus, offering up-to-date topics from an interdisciplinary, international set of scholars addressing key issues concerning globalization, social movements, and citizenshipThe majority of chapters are new, including those on environmental politics, international terrorism, security, corruption, and human rightsRevises and updates all previously published chapters to include new themes and topics in political sociologyProvides an overview of scholarship in the field, with chapters working independently and collectively to examine the full range of contributions to political sociologyOffers a challenging yet accessible and complete reference guide for students and scholars

The Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology brings together thirty-eight original essays covering the wide inter-disciplinary field of political sociology. Represents the most comprehensive overview available in the field of political sociologyCovers traditional questions as well as emerging topics including recent debates on gender, citizenship, and political identityIncludes detailed editorial introduction, abstracts, further reading lists, and a consolidated bibliography.

The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology is a complete reference guide, reflecting the scope and quality of the discipline, and highlighting emerging topics in the field.  Global in focus, offering up-to-date topics from an interdisciplinary, international set of scholars addressing key issues concerning globalization, social movements, and citizenshipThe majority of chapters are new, including those on environmental politics, international terrorism, security, corruption, and human rightsRevises and updates all previously published chapters to include new themes and topics in political sociologyProvides an overview of scholarship in the field, with chapters working independently and collectively to examine the full range of contributions to political sociologyOffers a challenging yet accessible and complete reference guide for students and scholars