Lisa K. Waldner – Författare

Many argue that the study of power differences and social inequality is at the heart of political sociology. For example, William Gamson's conceptualization of social movement participants focuses on those who are 'organized out' of the current power structure, suggesting that the political behavior that social movement theorists try to explain, is motivated by perceived social inequality. Inequality, both as a motivator for political behavior and as a means of social control, is an integral aspect of both the national and international political landscapes.This collection of research serves as an example of aspects of social status, social class, and ideology connected to contemporary questions about 'who wins' in struggles for civic, economic, and individual citizenship. Inequalities of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation are studied at local, regional, national and transnational levels. Several articles consider 'hate groups' and victims of hate. The politics of inequality are discussed in enduring theoretical frameworks and emerging literatures related to political groups and associations, the order of law and the state, social movements, and terrorism and violence. The authors hope that this volume will stimulate further work in the political sociology of social inequality.

Political sociology continues to be the most significant place for the study of the relationship between society and politics. The study of political participation has always formed an important part of this research and in this volume, we present a diverse collection of works dedicated to assessing current research and future directions in the field. In the first volume of the series, Braungart suggested that political occurrences are born out of social dynamics. We find continued evidence of this.The electoral politics of society, whether unusual as presented in the symposium of the US 2000 election, or more routine, can be understood in terms of models of political participation that build on the work of political sociologists over the last 25 years. The contributors also examine political participation in the form of social and political movements, sharing the theoretical frameworks used by political sociologists to understand, describe and predict political participation. In compiling this volume we find the study of political participation to be alive and well, providing fruitful arguments and ideas for future research.

The theoretical frameworks political sociologists use to understand, describe and predict political behaviour have evolved since the 1980s in response to empirical challenges and interdisciplinary influences. The diverse collection of work contained in this volume also suggests that present and projected theoretical trends will continue to be shaped by previous questions and past debates. Contributions to the volume reflect the influence of globalization and the rising interest in nationalism, whilst also including examinations of class, elite and world systems theory in response to questions posed in the age of post-modernity. The authors also consider the continued need for an integration of class, race and gender in theoretical approaches. The questions raised in this volume are not only relevant to political sociology, but also to the discipline of sociology as a whole. The blend of classical sociological tradition with contemporary thought should prompt readers to critically evaluate theoretical assumptions and expand their current thinking.

Several substantive areas within political sociology are examined in this volume of the series that explores the state of political sociology at the beginning of the 21st century. The collection offers works that show significant advances in the study of the social roots of all things 'political' in society. As in prior volumes, this collection demonstrates the richness of both theoretical and methodological studies in political sociology. The authors brought together in this volume teach students of political sociology the continued significance of questions related to public policy, public opinion, civil society, voting and social movements. The readings offer important summaries of prior work in the field, and in some cases construct an important synthesis of current research. These will help us better prepare a broader research agenda in the study of social movements, public policy, racism, and the civil sphere.The volume also presents important questions about methodological issues. The collection includes examples of current discussion related to the qualitative study of protest movements, and the importance of a comparative-historical approach. The chapters also show how the tools of the field are currently expanding our understanding of important areas of political sociology, such as public policy response to business behavior and the politics of crime. In many ways, this volume offers an assessment of the many conceptual and research debates that characterize political sociology at century's beginning. The results of these collective assessments, regardless of theoretical orientation, offer proof that political sociology is alive and well.