Bachelor
2025/2026
Political Sociology
Type:
Elective course (Sociology)
Delivered by:
School of Sociology
When:
4 year, 1 module
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Aleksei Pobedonostsev
Language:
English
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The “Political Sociology” course is designed to provide undergraduate students with a general knowledge of political matters through the lens of sociological theories and methodology. In this course, students will employ various methodological approaches to examine the fundamental connections between political and social issues. We will start with discussing the social foundation of political power and its multiple faces. Why do some people have power over others? Why is political power so deeply embodied in our social relations? Then, we will illuminate the difference between social and political actions and try to understand the social limits of political behavior. Why is not every social action considered political? How do people participate in politics and why? Then, we will discuss the key social actors of politics. Who gets political power in society and how? Why do people obey those who have power? Who is the political elite and how do people get into the ruling class? Then, students will discuss various social forms of organizing politics and political participation. Why is the modern state the key political and social institution of our time? Why do people join political parties and social movements? Is the direct rule of the people possible in a democracy? We will finish our classes with discussing the theories of political and social changes. In sum, in lectures and seminars, students will have the opportunity to reveal the social nature of “the political” and the deepest social roots of politics in the contemporary world.
Learning Objectives
- Use the basic theories and concepts of political sociology; Understand the basic topics of political sociology, including power, politics, political changes, ideology, political participation, electoral behavior, and more. Understand different basic perspectives, concepts, discussions, and theories about political sociology; Improve verbal communication skills through interactive class discussions.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- The ability to use academic literature for the formulation of research questions/problems.
- The ability to structure the essays as academic papers.
- The quality of the academic language.
- The ability to use the concepts of political sociology.
- The ability to formulate research plans for investigating research problems.
- Knowledge of the content of mandatory texts.
- The ability to analyze the text through the prism of sociological theories and concepts
- The ability to answer the lecturer’s questions.
- The ability to formulate and ask questions about texts.
- The ability to analyze current political issues through the prism of basic concepts of political sociology.
- The ability to formulate ideas and judgments about text in seminar classes.
Course Contents
- What is politics? What is political power?
- Who governs? The role of elites in politics.
- Political regimes and political systems
- Political and electoral behavior
- Social movements, ideologies and populism
- The crisis of democracy and political representation
- The sociology of political and social changes
Assessment Elements
- Seminar activityThe attendance of seminar classes implies active participation in seminar discussions. Reading is crucial for having a fruitful and enjoyable discussion in class. Therefore, every student must read all mandatory reading materials assigned for seminar discussions. The student should demonstrate active and constructive participation in the discussion at the seminar. The student should demonstrate the ability to use concepts from political sociology to provide original analysis of political and social issues. The student should be able to fully answer the questions posed by the lecturer.
- PresentationDuring the course, each student should prepare and deliver one presentation based on the readings for a selected week. The students may choose to present individually or in pairs. One presentation per seminar is possible. Presentations will be of 25 minutes, and will include the main arguments of the reading materials, as well as reflections of the students including one question for each material to discuss.
- Final essayThe final essay should be a minimum of 3,000 words (excluding reference and appendices). The essay can be written in Russian or English, but writing an essay in English is a bonus to the final grade. The essay topics should be agreed with the lecturer. All essays will be checked for plagiarism and the use of artificial intelligence technologies. The use of AI (or its alternatives) to generate text is strictly prohibited.
- QuizzesDuring the lectures, students will be asked to take several quizzes. The quiz questions will be based on the topics of previous lectures and seminars. The quizzes will be short and will consist of several questions.
Interim Assessment
- 2025/2026 1st module0.29 * Final essay + 0.29 * Presentation + 0.13 * Quizzes + 0.29 * Seminar activity
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Power : a radical view, Lukes, S., 2005
- What is populism?, Muller, J.- W., 2016
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Best, H., Higley, J., & Cotta, M. (2018). The Palgrave Handbook of Political Elites. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1357763
- Buying time : the delayed crisis of democratic capitalism, Streeck, W., 2014
- How democracies die, Levitsky, S., 2018
- Schmitt, C. (2007). The Concept of the Political : Expanded Edition (Vol. Expanded ed). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=332203