EKONBENI TSANGLAO

Subject Matter of Political Sociology

When we look into the subject matter of political sociology. we have to accept the fact that it
is yet to attain maturity. The study of political sociology paper is still in its infancy, because
those who fail to distinguish adequately between political sociology and sociology of politics
which go in the name of political sociology will not accept the fact that political sociology is a
new hybrid branch of modern social sciences. Therefore, we try to give a rough picture of the
changed scope which has been made possible by the scholars working in the field.

However, in recent times Lipset and his associates have recognised the independence of
political variable and their influence on sociological variables. The new tendency has been well
expressed by Lipset here, 'if the stability of society is a central issue for sociology as a whole,
then the stability of a specific political institutional structure or political regime - the social
conditions of democracy is the prime concern of political sociology. Although Lipset has
clearly confirmed the scope of political sociology to the 'social conditions of democracy', he
has clearly acknowledged its study as the study of the institutionalized structure of political
regime. It may also be stated, Geer and Orleans argued that political sociology is concerned
with explanation of the peculiar social structure called the state, and have included in the scope
of political sociology the following topics. (i) the structure of the state (ii) the nature and
conditions of legitimacy (iii) the nature of monopoly of forces and its use by the state (iv) the
nature of the subunits and their connection with the state.

Subsequently they have grouped the above-mentioned topics under these general headings.
namely, first- consensus and legitimacy, second- participation and representation and third- the
relation between econom1c development and political change All these topics as mentioned by
the above eminent scholars give us a fairly complete and correct picture of the subject matter
of political sociology proper.

The subject matter of political sociology can be described as follows:

1. Political Sociology is Study of Political System: Political sociology also includes the
concept of political system, which introduces dynamism in political analysis. It not only
stress on the study of the major structures of the government such as; legislature, courts
and administrative agencies, but also embassies on all the structure in their political
aspects such as; caste groupings, kinship groups and formal organisations such as;
 parties and interest groups. The political system deals with the political phenomena in
any society without taking into account its size, culture and degree of modernisation.
Political sociology deals with the analysis of the functions of various political structures
in the political system from a structural functionalist perspective.
2. Political Sociology Concentrates on Power: Political sociology concentrates on the
phenomenon of power and its related aspects. Power is a universal and an important
aspect of social interaction, which is necessary in shaping the relationship between
individuals and members of a group. Political sociology also deals with the study of
elites and their leadership styles. These elites govern the masses as well as provide them
leadership. The discipline also concentrates on the patterns and styles of leadership
exhibited by the elites, which are necessary to maintain their positions of power.
3. Study of Political Processes: The study of the political process is also the domain of
political sociology. Political process refers to activities of those underlying propensities
in society that give meaning and order to the political system. Another major concern
of political sociology is to study the impact of the political culture on the political
system. The concepts of political culture refer to those underlying propensities that
accelerate or retard the pace of performance of the political system. Political
participation and political mobilization also from the scope of political sociology.
4. Political Sociology Study Social Stratification: Another important aspect that is
covered by political sociology is social stratification. It studies different social
stratification systems, such as; class, caste, gender and status, and analysis their impact
on organized politics. Political sociology also analysis the politics dynamics, which
consists of the study of political parties, pressure groups, interest groups, public opinion
and propaganda which influences and manipulate the attitude and political behaviour
of individuals. The process of change, which in the social dimension refers to
modernisation, is also another focal point of political sociology.
5. Empirical Study of Political Development: Political development is an important area
of discussion in political sociology. It refers to a process through which a political
system acquires new roles and value in a society. Contemporary political sociology is
concerned with cultural politics as what we might call the politics of politics. From this
perspective, what events mean to those who interpret and act on them is what matters.
6. Study of Politicization: Politicization across the social field has not typically been the
subject matter of political sociology until fairly recently. Political sociology has never
been easily distinguishable as a field of research from others in the discipline of
 sociology. Political sociologists would be interested in power as at least a potentiality
in all social relations, and to have elaborated a conception of politics as an activity
conducted across a range of social institutions. Dowse and Hughes argue political
sociologist have concerned themselves principally with the ways in which society has
affected the state.
7. Study of New Theoretical Tools: Empirical changes would not be sufficient to create
a new approach to political sociology but also new theoretical tools with which to make
sense of them are being included the scope of political sociology. There has been a
paradigm shift in political sociology away from state centered, class-based models of
political participation, or non-participation, toward an understanding of politics as a
potentiality of all social experience. It is in this sense that contemporary political
sociology is concerned with cultural politics, understood in the broadest possible sense
as the contestation and transformation of social identities and structures contemporary
political sociology and explain why the concept of cultural politics is so useful to
understanding politics of politics today.
8. Social foundation of political orders: Especially the way political arrangement
depends upon social organization and cultural values. The main problems of political
order are the regulation of the struggle for power, and political sociology- in fact
sociology of politics considers basic constitutional questions. It is less concerned with
the formal aspects of government and law than with the underlying supports of these
institutions.
9. Social basis of political behaviour: Under this topic political sociologist or more
appropriately the sociologist of politics studies the participation of individual in
politics. They try to know as to why and how individual vote, hold political opinion,
form and belong to political associations and groups and support political movement.