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Political Sociology and Conceptual Renewal. Part I
Political Sociology and Conceptual Renewal. Part I
Abstract Submissions Closed
Wednesday, 24 February 2021: 10:45-12:15
Location:
RC16 Sociological Theory (host committee)
Language: English
Session Type: Oral
What can be said about violence, authority, control, domination – that is, about power and its various forms of manifestation, more explicit or disguised today? Of course, there is a long tradition in sociology that deals with these issues, theoretically, substantively and historically. But the complexity and fluidity of contemporary societies, as well as the autonomy of individuals, scientific and technological transformations, and the emergence of new anthropological narratives, among other developments, demand that we ask ourselves once more about how to work with these concepts. Political sociology is particularly questioned by the paths that the contemporary world takes. Nevertheless, comparatively with the magnitude of these challenges, and especially in its general connection with sociological theory, political sociology, has been, in a number of senses, little developed in recent years. Some of its concepts need to be renewed in the face of the challenges posed to us by contemporary societies and, no doubt, some of its influential theoretical perspectives need to be systematically reimagined. It is necessary then to ask what is required by critical thinking in its confrontation with today's world. How can we link political sociology to sociological theory once we seek to update our specific answers about these phenomena? Is it necessary to interrogate the deep historical sources of the modern political imaginary in order to avoid the misunderstandings that may arise in discussions of political sociological themes of the moment? These questions are the axis of what this session intends to discuss.
Session Organizers: