CALL FOR PAPERS
\nESA Research Network 32 \u2013 Political Sociology<\/p>\n
The European Sociological Association\u2019s Research Network on Political
\nSociology (RN32) is pleased to announce its second mid-term
\nconference, to be held at the University of Milan (Italy), 30 November
\nand 1 December, 2012:<\/p>\n
Political Participation and Beyond: Multi-level dynamics of
\ninclusion\/exclusion in times of crisis<\/p>\n
Political participation is a founding theme of political sociology. In
\nbroadest terms, it refers to all forms and activities through which
\nindividuals or collectives express opinions and also exert influence
\non decisions that are of common concern. While concerned with apathy,
\nabstention and \u201cexit\u201d, political sociology has also described and
\ncategorized a broad and ever-changing repertoire of citizen (and non
\ncitizen) voice, i.e. activism and formal or informal involvement
\nwhether individual\/ collective, manifest\/ latent, institutionalized\/
\nunconventional, direct\/ mediated, online\/ offline. In an age of
\nglobalization and multilevel (local, national, supranational, global)
\nnetworking of collective decision-making processes, in which social
\nand political boundaries are being reshaped and new dynamics of social
\nand political inclusion and exclusion are emerging, this scope of
\npolitical participation is potentially wider and rapidly changing. One
\nmay wonder if participation is heightened in times of crisis, which
\nfavour more exclusive forms of governance and tend to mobilise new
\nforms of protest, or on the contrary generates anomie.<\/p>\n
The aim of this conference is to explore the extended scope of
\npolitical participation in relation to transnational government
\narrangements and processes. Within this broad theme, all crucial
\nconcepts of political sociology are embraced. These include:
\nchallenged legitimisation of democratic representative institutions;
\nchanging power relationships between citizens and the state; the
\nmaking of a new political order across the interaction of macro- and
\nmicro-level actors; the battle for cultural, social, and institutional
\nchange involving networked individuals and organized groups at local,
\nnational and global levels.<\/p>\n
A number of key contemporary political and social phenomena can
\ntherefore be analysed from a political participation perspective:
\n\u2022 Globalizing forms of protest and new forms of political mobilization
\n\u2022 Changing interactions between public opinion, political elites,
\nmainstream media, and social media
\n\u2022 The plebiscitary nature of leader-followers relationships as regards
\npopulist parties
\n\u2022 Party primary elections and campaigning
\n\u2022 New patterns of electoral turnout and volatility
\n\u2022 Citizens\u2019 deliberations and experiments in participatory democracy
\n\u2022 The emergence of a new political cleavage along the nationalism vs.
\ncosmopolitanism value dimensions
\n\u2022 The ongoing conflict over norms of citizenship
\n\u2022 Processes of agenda-setting and the role of migrants\u2019 organizations
\nin key policy areas
\n\u2022 Political dimensions of immigrant integration and the politics of
\nvoting rights
\n\u2022 Urban governance and urban conflicts
\nProposals can relate to all levels of \u2013 local to global \u2013 mobilization
\nand participation in the polity. Studies employing a European
\ncomparative perspective or EU-wide framework, that address the
\nmulti-level dimension of participation, or discuss more recent
\nchallenges to citizens\u2019 participation and legitimacy in times of
\nfinancial and economic crisis are particularly welcome.<\/p>\n
Abstract submission: Both panel proposals and individual paper
\nproposals are encouraged. For panel proposals please submit a short
\ndescription of the theme of the panel and at least three individual
\npaper abstracts.<\/p>\n
Deadline: The deadline for panel and paper proposals is Friday April Conference venue and organization: The conference will be hosted by Information will be available at:\u00a0https:\/\/www.socpol.unimi.it<\/a>
\n30th. Please submit abstracts of max 200 words to:
\nrn32mtc2012@socpol.unimi.it<\/a>
\nThe conference committee will notify applicants by May 30th.<\/p>\n
\nthe Department of Social and Political Studies, University of Milan
\n(Italy). The Department is located in the centre of Milan.
\nParticipants are asked to make their own travel arrangements and book
\naccommodation. We will suggest a list of hotels.<\/p>\n
\nTo encourage participation by a broad range of early career
\nresearchers and experienced academics, there is no registration fee.
\nTo register, please write to\u00a0rn32mtc2012@socpol.unimi.it<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0with the
\nfollowing information: name, position, affiliation with postal
\naddress, country, email address and dietary preferences.<\/p>\n