END SEMESTER ASSIGNMENT (Even 2020)

Topic-Analyse the nature and scope of the discipline of

Political Sociology

Submitted By-
Name: Salini Datta
Semester: UG 3 Sem 6
Class Roll No: POLS25
Registration No: 17104270025
Paper Code and Name: POLS0601(Political Sociology)
REGULAR
Q.1. Analyse the nature and scope of the discipline of Political Sociology.
“Political Sociology is an emerging and burgeoning sub-field within the
contours of contemporary sociology and political science” – L.S. Rathore
Rathore’s definition of Political sociology makes it clear that the discipline
encompasses varied topics under its aegis and has carved a niche of its own.
This paper engages itself in delineating the possible directions Political
Sociology delves into and to get an insight into the enterprising scope of the
discipline.
In its simplest connotation, Political Sociology is the cross-fertilisation between
two different social sciences – Sociology and Political Science. It is about the
impact of society on politics and vice-versa.
Greer and Orleans postulated political sociology as the field concerned with
‘analysis and sociological explanation of the peculiar structure called state’.
Jellinck and Prelot supported this notion of political sociology as ‘science of
state’.( Rathore,1986).
For Bendix and Lipset, ‘Political Science starts with the state and examines how
it affects society while political sociology starts with the society and examines
how it affects the state. ( Ashraf, 1990)
The third notion is of Maurice Duvenger. He opines that political sociology is
about the ‘science of power’ evident in all human societies.
Lasswell and Merriam’s study of the ‘politics of unorganized communities and
associations’ can also be a way of defining Political Sociology.
To understand the nature and scope of Political Sociology, it is important to
have an insight about how ‘Political Sociology’ and ‘Sociology of Politics’ are
different. Sartori’s notion of Political Sociology is that of a field which deals
(with both the producer and the consumer) while the latter one deals with the
(consumer)i.e. Sociology of Politics is narrower and views only a part of the
totality. Political Sociology is a ‘cross-disciplinary breakthrough seeking
models which reintroduce as variables the ‘givens’ of each source’.
The debate between them brings up the following on the forefront – Political
sociology is autonomous (free from the dominant clutches of either of the
disciplines). It prioritises individual liberty of these two disciplines and believes
in interpretative methodology. In Sociology of Politics, ‘political variable’
becomes dependent on the ‘explanatory sociological variable’. It is a positivist
conservative study of phenomena. For Rathore, Sociology of Politics is ‘a
sociological reduction of politics’ and Political Sociology is the ‘inter-
disciplinary hybrid’. Lipset and Rokkan’s approach of not ‘letting politics to be
reduced to a by-product of sociology’ made way for the new facets in
comprehending the realm of Political Sociology.( Rathore,1986)
Political Sociology as it can be inferred delves into the arenas of understanding
the government-society interaction, linkages between politics and society,
political system and socio-economic-cultural set-up. It is also concerned about
social conflicts and finding ways in proper and genuine management of such
conflicts or power dynamics. All the components – Political, Social, Cultural
and Economic have an autonomous presence in this discipline.
The Scope of Political Sociology is very rich and diverse. Various theorists
have tried in unveiling the arena of Political Sociology.
According to Lipset and Bendix, scope of Political sociology includes –
1. Study of the Voting behaviour in communities and in the nation(research
on the attitude and opinion).
2. Getting an outlook of the Concentration of economic power and political
decision making(empirical methods are employed to gather evidence).
3. Study of the Ideology of political movements(later he delved into the
extremist movements) and interest groups(analysing them).
4. Political parties, voluntary associations, problems of oligarchy, and
psychological co-relates of political behaviour.
5. Government and the problem of Bureaucracy
6. The study of political culture, political education, political socialization
and political development, i.e. (the overall socio-economic milieu of
political life).
7. Lipset further added ideas of Legitimacy and Effectiveness.
(Ashraf,1990)
For Maurice, the scope of the discipline consists of
1.It studies power in all human societies and not just the state.
2.It analyses the reasons for the existence of political antagonisms.
3.It is the study of issues related to conflict and integration (the flow from
antagonisms to integration).
Greer and Orleans’s version of Political Sociology deals with
1.The structure of the state and the subsequent sub-units
2.Nature and conditions of Legitimacy
3.Monopolization of force in the hands of the state.
For Dowse and Hughes, the interest area is the social order and political
obedience. (Rathore,1986)
Richard Braungart inferred that Political sociology is concerned with
1.The social origins of politics.
2. Structure of the Political process
3.Effects of politics on society and culture.
Political Sociology has been widening its arena and has incorporated nuances
of Political structures, Political life, Political Leadership, Political Development
under its hold. The arena of Political sociology as of now includes –
1.Examination of social foundations of the political orders
2.Social variables of political behaviour are addressed.
3.Social facets of political processes are highlighted.
4.Examination of social context of political power.
Contemporary Research on Political Sociology has the following focal points-
a) Socio-political formation of the modern state.
b) How Social inequality between different (caste, class, gender groups) can
influence politics.
c) Power relationships within and between groups.
d) How public personalities, social movements and trends affect politics.
Political Sociology as a diverse discipline has evolved from the ideas of
classical theorists like Plato, Aristotle (both stressed on the fact that politics is
the man’s creation- ‘Homo-politicus’). Society guided by divine norms had
been the take of St. Augustine and Aquinas. In the next period, some believed in
distinction of society and state (Locke, ,Montesquieu, Rousseau) and others
believed in supremacy of the Church or state craftsmanship and no society –
state dichotomy.(Machiavelli, Burke ,Hegel). Pareto, Mosca played vital role in
development of Political Sociology. Stalwarts like Max Weber, Gramsci,
Foucault and Marx had been cornerstones in laying the foundation for the varied
ness of this discipline with theories of Authority, Hegemony, Knowledge/Power
and Historical and Dialectical Materialism, Class struggle etc.
Political Sociology takes inspiration from all these theories and with the
stakeholders of the contemporary times has been striving in developing Political
sociology as a discipline which involves systematic research, interpretation and
analysis of varied topics. Political Sociology has stood the test of time as a
logical-empirical oriented discipline and has become a heterogenous one – from
state, voting behaviour, social order to legitimacy, conflict it addresses a myriad
of topics. It has made way for scientific spirit and attempts to solve the practical
issues of the life. Political Sociology is a relevant intellectual discipline and has
concerns for socio-political facets in economic development as well.
To come to the epilogue, Political Sociology has been an inclusive and
comprehensive discipline which has charted its own way out.
Bibliography
1.Ashraf, Ali and Sharma, L. N. (1990). Political Sociology: A New Grammar
of Politics. Hyderabad: University Press
2.Rathore, L. S “Political Sociology: Its Meaning, Evolution and Scope” The
Indian Journal of Political Science. Jan-Mar 1986, Vol.47, No.1.pp-119-140
3.Basu, Pradip (2015). Political Sociology. Kolkata: Setu Prakashani.