A collection of essays, which chart new territory in the field of political sociology, going beyond the traditional focus on the relationship between state and society. It contains articles addressing the concerns of the "postmodern turn" in sociology and its implications for the study of politics.

List of Contributors. Preface. Part I: Power and Politics:. Introduction. 1. The Subject and Power: Michel Foucault. 2. A Sociological Theory of Postmodernity: Zygmunt Bauman. 3. Inequality After Class: Malcolm Waters. Part II: Globalization:. Introduction. 4. From Fordism to Flexible Accumulation: David Harvey. 5. The Social Revolutions of our Time: Anthony Giddens. 6. Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy: Arjun Appadurai. 7. The Question of Cultural Identity: Stuart Hall. Part III: Social Movements and the Politicization of the Social:. Introduction. 8. "New Social Movements" of the Early Nineteenth Century: Craig Calhoun. 9. The Concept of Social Movement: Mario Diani. 10. Transnational Contention: Sidney Tarrow. Part IV: Citizenship, Exclusion, and Difference:. 11. Rethinking Citizenship and Social Movements: Themes in Contemporary Sociology and Neoconservative Ideology: Maurice Roche. 12. The Patriarchal Welfare State: Carole Pateman. 13. Toward a Postnational Model of Membership [in Europe]: Yasemin Nuhoglu Soysal. Part V: Democracy:. Introduction. 14. The Public Sphere: Jürgen Habermas. 15. Hegemony and New Political Subjects: Toward a New Concept of Democracy: Chantal Mouffe. 16. Democracy, the Nation-State and the Global System: David Held. Identity and Difference in Global Politics: William E. Connolly. Index.

Readings in Contemporary Political Sociology collects the best published writings of prominent sociologists and political theorists currently working in the field. The essays chart new territory in the field of political sociology, going beyond the traditional focus on the relationship between state and society. The first section consists of articles addressing the concerns of the "postmodern turn" in sociology and its implications for the study of politics. Subsequent sections deal with substantive topics in the field, linking influential pieces on globalization, social movements, citizenship, and democracy. For students of political sociology and political theory, this collection is a milestone, representing the field's most noteworthy research and publications of recent years. It may be used independently or in conjunction with Kate Nash's introductory book Contemporary Political Sociology: Globalization, Politics, and Power.

"Finally - a collection that explores political sociology as a series of conceptual political problems, as opposed to a diffuse empirical array. These articles raise the most central issues in political sociology in a way that engages and challenges the reader." Michael Kimmel, State University of New York at Stony Brook

List of Contributors. Preface. Part I: Power and Politics. Part II: Globalization. Part III: Social Movements and the Politicization of the Social. Part IV: Citizenship, Exclusion, and Difference. Part V: Democracy.