The Social Side of Politics

by Douglas Hartmann, Christopher Uggen

Overview

Assembling the most provocative new thinking on politics and political processes.

This first volume of The Society Pages series focuses on politics. Drawn largely from feature content, posts, and exchanges provoked by the elections of 2012, the chapters are organized into three main sections. “Core Contributions” exemplifies how sociologists and other social scientists think about otherwise familiar political phenomena like power, polling, and social movements. Chapters in the “Cultural Contexts” section draw out the political content and implications of cultural realms—from religion and race, to sports, humor, and new media technologies—that are often ignored or taken for granted. And the “Critical Takes” rubric gathers pieces on inequalities embedded in and reproduced through the political system, how sociological tools and insights are employed in the public sphere, and the role of government in shaping society through public policy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393920376
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	08/01/2013
Series:	The Society Pages
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Douglas Hartmann is in the sociology department at the University of Minnesota. His research interests focus on race and ethnicity, multiculturalism, popular culture (including sports and religion), and contemporary American society. He is co-editor of The Society Pages.

Christopher Uggen is in the sociology department at the University of Minnesota. He studies crime, law, and deviance, especially how former prisoners manage to put their lives back together. He is co-editor of The Society Pages.

Table of Contents

Series Preface Douglas Hartmann Christopher Uggen xi

Introduction Douglas Hartmann Christopher Uggen xv

Changing Lenses: Behind the Political Process Douglas Hartmann Wing Young Huie xxiii

Part 1 Core Contributions 1

1 Power, Sociologically Speaking Vincent J. Roscigno 3

2 Polling, Politics, and the Populace According to Goren, Schuman, and Smith Kyle Green 19

3 Social Fact: Those Who Can, Vote? Deborah Carr 33

4 Movements + Elections = Democracy Steven Buechler 39

5 The Obama Era, the 2012 Election, and Systemic Racism Joe R. Feagin 53

Part 2 Cultural Contexts 71

6 The Social Functions of Religion in American Political Culture Joseph Gerteis 73

7 Politics and Sports: Strange, Secret Bedfellows Kyle Green Douglas Hartmann 87

8 Facebook's Impact on American Politics Jose Marichal 103

9 Laughter and the Political Landscape Sarah Lageson Sinan Erensu Kyle Green 117

Part 3 Critical Takes 143

10 The Paradoxes of Black Republicans Corey Fields 145

11 Let Herman Be Herman: Republican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain and the Utility of Blackness for the Political Right Enid Logan 161

12 The Perils of Transcendence Andra Gillespie 171

13 The Sociology of Silver Andrew Lindner 177

14 Joe Soss on American Poverty Governance, as It Is and as It Might Be Sarah Shannon 193

Discussion Guide and Group Activities 213

About the Contributors 219

Index 223