Political Science and Changing Politics

Philip Praag

ISBN 10: 9462987483 / ISBN 13: 9789462987487

Published by Amsterdam University Press Okt 2017, 2017

About this Item

Neuware - Politics is about conflict, struggle, decision-making, power and influence. But not every conflict and not every situation in which power is exercised is widely regarded as politics. A football coach who decides to leave a player on the bench because he has given him a bit of lip, is exerting power, and there is conflict here, too. However, few people would consider this a political issue. The same applies to a mother who quarrels with her adolescent daughter about going to a house party, a schoolteacher who gives a student detention, and so on. But if we were to limit our understanding of politics to official decisions that are taken by governments, in parliaments or on municipal councils, we would fail to recognise the political meaning of trade unions, lobbyists, protest groups, corporations and other more-or-less organised groups that influence collective decision-making.|This book is an introduction to political science. What is it that political scientists are actually studying Or, to put it another way: What do we mean when we talk about politics.

Seller Inventory # 9789462987487

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Political Science and Changing Politics
• Publisher: Amsterdam University Press Okt 2017
• Publication Date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9462987483
• ISBN 13: 9789462987487
• Binding: Taschenbuch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 231W x 157H x 18D millimeters 231 millimeters width by 157 millimeters height by 18 millimeters depth
• Weight: 399 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Politics is about conflict, struggle, decision-making, power and influence. But not every conflict and not every situation in which power is exercised is widely regarded as politics. A football coach who decides to leave a player on the bench because he has given him a bit of lip, is exerting power, and there is conflict here, too. However, few people would consider this a political issue. The same applies to a mother who quarrels with her adolescent daughter about going to a house party, a schoolteacher who gives a student detention, and so on. But if we were to limit our understanding of politics to official decisions that are taken by governments, in parliaments or on municipal councils, we would fail to recognise the political meaning of trade unions, lobbyists, protest groups, corporations and other more-or-less organised groups that influence collective decision-making.|This book is an introduction to political science. What is it that political scientists are actually studying? Or, to put it another way: What do we mean when we talk about politics?

About the Author

Philip van Praag is Senior Lecturer Political Science at the Department of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam.