Download or read book The Relevance of Political Science written by Gerry Stoker and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-03-26 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What does political science tell us about important real-world problems and issues? And to what extent does and can political analysis contribute to solutions? Debates about the funding, impact and relevance of political science in contemporary democracies have made this a vital and hotly contested topic of discussion, and in this original text authors from around the world respond to the challenge. A robust defence is offered of the achievements of political science research, but the book is not overly sanguine given its sustained recognition of the need for improvement in the way that political science is done. New insights are provided into the general issues raised by relevance, into blockages to relevance, and into the contributions that the different subfields of political science can and do make. The book concludes with a new manifesto for relevance that seeks to combine a commitment to rigour with a commitment to engagement.
Download or read book Studies in Social and Political Theory RLE Social Theory written by Anthony Giddens and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-08-21 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The studies which comprise this book are essentially organized around a critical encounter with European social theory in its 'classical period' – i.e. from the middle years of the nineteenth century until the First World War – and have the aim of working out some of the implications of that encounter for the position and prospects of the social sciences today. The issues involved relate to the following series of problems: method and epistemology; social development and transformation; the origins of 'sociology' in nineteenth-century social theory; and the status of social science as critique. In each of these areas, Giddens develops views that challenge existing orthodoxies, and connects these ideas to a reconstruction of social theory in the contemporary era.
Download or read book The Digital Continent written by Mohammad Amir Anwar and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Digital Continent investigates what the impact of the growth of digital work in Africa means for workers. The volume draws on a year-long field study conducted in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda to provide one of the first empirical studies on the topic.
Download or read book Political Science and the Problem of Social Order written by Henrik Enroth and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2022-03-24 with total page 211 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shows how the problem of social order has shaped concept formation, theory, and normative argument in political science.
Download or read book Social Science for What written by Mark Solovey and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2020-07-07 with total page 409 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How the NSF became an important yet controversial patron for the social sciences, influencing debates over their scientific status and social relevance. In the early Cold War years, the U.S. government established the National Science Foundation (NSF), a civilian agency that soon became widely known for its dedication to supporting first-rate science. The agency's 1950 enabling legislation made no mention of the social sciences, although it included a vague reference to "other sciences." Nevertheless, as Mark Solovey shows in this book, the NSF also soon became a major--albeit controversial--source of public funding for them.
Download or read book Social and Political Bonds written by F.M. Barnard and published by McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. This book was released on 2010-02-21 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Warning specifically against official moralistic rhetoric, the ignoring of civic demands, and hidden acts of power by anonymous governmental bureaucracies and lobbyists, F.M. Barnard uses an approach that blurs the boundaries of specialized fields of study in order to recognize the degree to which individual choice influences political force. He also shows how any attempt to achieve a balance between the state and society requires a developed political judgement and a measured view of what can be politically attained and demanded. A masterfully clear work that synthesizes centuries of political theory, Social and Political Bonds makes a powerful and well-reasoned case for the benefits of civic involvement and governmental cooperation.
Download or read book A Mathematics Course for Political and Social Research written by Will H. Moore and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2013-08-11 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Political science and sociology increasingly rely on mathematical modeling and sophisticated data analysis, and many graduate programs in these fields now require students to take a "math camp" or a semester-long or yearlong course to acquire the necessary skills. Available textbooks are written for mathematics or economics majors, and fail to convey to students of political science and sociology the reasons for learning often-abstract mathematical concepts. A Mathematics Course for Political and Social Research fills this gap, providing both a primer for math novices in the social sciences and a handy reference for seasoned researchers. The book begins with the fundamental building blocks of mathematics and basic algebra, then goes on to cover essential subjects such as calculus in one and more than one variable, including optimization, constrained optimization, and implicit functions; linear algebra, including Markov chains and eigenvectors; and probability. It describes the intermediate steps most other textbooks leave out, features numerous exercises throughout, and grounds all concepts by illustrating their use and importance in political science and sociology. Uniquely designed and ideal for students and researchers in political science and sociology Uses practical examples from political science and sociology Features "Why Do I Care?" sections that explain why concepts are useful Includes numerous exercises Complete online solutions manual (available only to professors, email david.siegel at duke.edu, subject line "Solution Set") Selected solutions available online to students
Download or read book The Political Sciences written by Hugh Stretton and published by London : Routledge & K. Paul. This book was released on 1969 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Treatise on social sciences methodology, with particular reference to the role of the historian and scientist in social research - covers theoretical and political aspects, social implications, historical approaches, trends, scientific practice, value-judgements, etc. Bibliography pp. 435 to 439.
Download or read book Social Power and Political Influence written by James T. Tedeschi and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-08 with total page 445 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The nature of social power, the ability of individuals to affect the behavior and belief of others, is central to any understanding of the dynamics of change in our society. It is therefore surprising that social scientists, and especially social psychologists, have devoted relatively little attention to the subject and have accumulated relatively little knowledge about it. But this gap may be more apparent than real argues James T. Tedeschi; there has in fact been a great deal of research on many aspects of interpersonal influence. What is missing is the kind of consensus about an operational definition of the concept of power that would bring this work usefully into focus. The purpose of Social Power and Political Influence is to bring together the best work of scholars from many disciplines in order to organize, develop, evaluate, and interpret scientific theories of social, political, and economic power. The contributors are drawn from anthropology, political science, sociology, and social psychology. They illustrate a variety of approaches, ranging from ethnographic case studies to mathematically formalized models. Presenting theory and methods, these chapters treat in provocative and creative ways such important problems as the factors that affect the use of power and the nature of response to its use, the linkages that affect the flow of power between individuals and social systems, the consequences of attributions of power by actors and observers, and the implications of trust as an alternative to explicit influence. This in-depth scholarly sampling of research and theory will be of great interest to everyone concerned with the scientific study of social and political power and the influence processes. The interdisciplinary nature of the topic itself and of the work represented here make Social Power and Political Influence an important contribution for students and scholars in many fields, from social psychology, political science and sociology to communications, management science, and economics.
Download or read book Approaches and Methodologies in the Social Sciences written by Donatella Della Porta and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2008-08-28 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A revolutionary textbook introducing masters and doctoral students to the major research approaches and methodologies in the social sciences. Written by an outstanding set of scholars, and derived from successful course teaching, this volume will empower students to choose their own approach to research, to justify this approach, and to situate it within the discipline. It addresses questions of ontology, epistemology and philosophy of social science, and proceeds to issues of methodology and research design essential for producing a good research proposal. It also introduces researchers to the main issues of debate and contention in the methodology of social sciences, identifying commonalities, historic continuities and genuine differences.
Download or read book Essential Mathematics for Political and Social Research written by Jeff Gill and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2006-04-24 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "More than ever before, modern social scientists require a basic level of mathematical literacy, yet many students receive only limited mathematical training prior to beginning their research careers. This textbook addresses this dilemma by offering a comprehensive, unified introduction to the essential mathematics of social science. Throughout the book the presentation builds from first principles and eschews unnecessary complexity. Most importantly, the discussion is thoroughly and consistently anchored in real social science applications, with more than 80 research-based illustrations woven into the text and featured in end-of-chapter exercises. Students and researchers alike will find this first-of-its-kind volume to be an invaluable resource."--BOOK JACKET.
Download or read book Social Science and Political Theory written by W. G. Runciman and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1969-05-02 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 1969 study considers the relation of sociology to political philosophy and extends traditional political philosophy in the direction of contemporary developments.
Download or read book Political Interventions written by Pierre Bourdieu and published by Verso Books. This book was released on 2008-02-17 with total page 417 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pierre Bourdieu, one of the most influential critical social theorists of the second half of the twentieth century, once described sociology as “a combat sport.” This comprehensive collection of his writings on politics and social science, from early 1960s articles on the Algerian War of Independence to the last text he published before his death, proves that this vision was enduring throughout his life—as well as a serious scholar Bourdieu was always an outspoken public intellectual. Political Interventions includes many texts hitherto unavailable in English and, placing them in their historical context, reconstructs Bourdieu’s vision of academic study and political activism as two sides of the same process: the decoding and critique of social reality in order to transform it.
Download or read book The Social Citizen written by Betsy Sinclair and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2012-12-10 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human beings are social animals. Yet despite vast amounts of research into political decision making, very little attention has been devoted to its social dimensions. In political science, social relationships are generally thought of as mere sources of information, rather than active influences on one’s political decisions. Drawing upon data from settings as diverse as South Los Angeles and Chicago’s wealthy North Shore, Betsy Sinclair shows that social networks do not merely inform citizen’s behavior, they can—and do—have the power to change it. From the decision to donate money to a campaign or vote for a particular candidate to declaring oneself a Democrat or Republican, basic political acts are surprisingly subject to social pressures. When members of a social network express a particular political opinion or belief, Sinclair shows, others notice and conform, particularly if their conformity is likely to be highly visible. We are not just social animals, but social citizens whose political choices are significantly shaped by peer influence. The Social Citizen has important implications for our concept of democratic participation and will force political scientists to revise their notion of voters as socially isolated decision makers.
Download or read book International Encyclopedia of Political Science written by Bertrand Badie and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2011-09-07 with total page 4033 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Request a FREE 30-day online trial to this title at www.sagepub.com/freetrial With entries from leading international scholars from around the world, this eight-volume encyclopedia offers the widest possible coverage of key areas both regionally and globally. The International Encyclopedia of Political Science provides a definitive, comprehensive picture of all aspects of political life, recognizing the theoretical and cultural pluralism of our approaches and including findings from the far corners of the world. The eight volumes cover every field of politics, from political theory and methodology to political sociology, comparative politics, public policies, and international relations. Entries are arranged in alphabetical order, and a list of entries by subject area appears in the front of each volume for ease of use. The encyclopedia contains a detailed index as well as extensive bibliographical references. Filling the need for an exhaustive overview of the empirical findings and reflections on politics, this reference resource is suited for undergraduate or graduate students who wish to be informed effectively and quickly on their field of study, for scholars seeking information on relevant research findings in their area of specialization or in related fields, and for lay readers who may lack a formal background in political science but have an interest in the field nonetheless. The International Encyclopedia of Political Science provides an essential, authoritative guide to the state of political science at the start of the 21st century and for decades to come, making it an invaluable resource for a global readership, including researchers, students, citizens, and policy makers. The encyclopedia was developed in partnership with the International Political Science Association. Key Themes: Case and Area Studies Comparative Politics, Theory, and Methods Democracy and Democratization Economics Epistemological Foundations Equality and Inequality Gender and Race/Ethnicity International Relations Local Government Peace, War, and Conflict Resolution People and Organizations Political Economy Political Parties Political Sociology Public Policy and Administration Qualitative Methods Quantitative Methods Religion
Download or read book Anthropology and Political Science written by Myron J. Aronoff and published by Berghahn Books. This book was released on 2013 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What can anthropology and political science learn from each other? The authors argue that collaboration, particularly in the area of concepts and methodologies, is tremendously beneficial for both disciplines, though they also deal with some troubling aspects of the relationship. Focusing on the influence of anthropology on political science, the book examines the basic assumptions the practitioners of each discipline make about the nature of social and political reality, compares some of the key concepts each field employs, and provides an extensive review of the basic methods of research that "bridge" both disciplines: ethnography and case study. Through ethnography (participant observation), reliance on extended case studies, and the use of "anthropological" concepts and sensibilities, a greater understanding of some of the most challenging issues of the day can be gained. For example, political anthropology challenges the illusion of the "autonomy of the political" assumed by political science to characterize so-called modern societies. Several chapters include a cross-disciplinary analysis of key concepts and issues: political culture, political ritual, the politics of collective identity, democratization in divided societies, conflict resolution, civil society, and the politics of post-Communist transformations.
Download or read book Guide to Methods for Students of Political Science written by Stephen Van Evera and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2015-04-15 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Stephen Van Evera's Guide to Methods makes an important contribution toward improving the use of case studies for theory development and testing in the social sciences. His trenchant and concise views on issues ranging from epistemology to specific research techniques manage to convey not only the methods but the ethos of research. This book is essential reading for social science students at all levels who aspire to conduct rigorous research."—Alexander L. George, Stanford University, and Andrew Bennett, Georgetown University "Van Evera has a keen awareness of the questions that arise in every phase of the political science research project—from initial conception to final presentation. Although others may not agree with all of his specific advice, all will appreciate his user-friendly introduction to what is sometimes seen as an abstract and difficult topic."—Timothy J. McKeown, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill For the last few years, Stephen Van Evera has greeted new graduate students at MIT with a commonsense introduction to qualitative methods in the social sciences. His helpful hints, always warmly received, grew from a handful of memos to an underground classic primer. That primer has now evolved into a book of how-to information about graduate study, which is essential reading for graduate students and undergraduates in political science, sociology, anthropology, economics, and history—and for their advisers.
