What is Politics

What is ‘Politics’? Competing perspectives on the most basic of conceptual questions… Contested Concepts • Politics, power, freedom, democracy…these are all „contested concepts‟ • Our challenge: – Determining the usefulness of competing understandings • Don‟t expect „clear answers‟… – strive to understand and appreciate competing perspectives So… What is politics? Open Definitions • Politics is power… – The exercise of power – Power structured social relationships • Politics is conflict… – The resolution of social conflict • “Who gets what, when & how” – Competition and cooperation among individuals & groups • Politics is the structuring of social relationships… – When people come together there is politics, it flows through and structures our social relationships Narrow Definitions • Politics pertains to the „public sphere‟ & state authority… – Politics is the settling of conflict via the state – Only the state has the authority to make decisions that are binding on the whole community – The boundaries of politics are defined by state authority • Politics is about government… – Activity whose purpose is to reshape, influence or change the structures, processes, policies or personnel of government Steve‟s Definition • Politics is… – The struggles and other social processes which structure differential access to the material and symbolic resources that determine the conditions of our existence. • Politics is about power, conflict and social relations… it exists beyond public realm & the state… it is everywhere – BUT, not every dimension of our lives is political Politics & the State • States are central to politics – Authority to make binding decisions – Sovereignty: supreme & final governing authority • Theoretical perspectives on politics are… – Theories of the state – Theories of state/society relations – Theories of power Competing approaches… Liberal Pluralism • • • • Level of analysis / Notion of key political actors View of state & society Understanding of power Conception of the „stuff‟ of politics Structural Institutionalism • • • • Level of analysis / Notion of key political actors View of state & society Understanding of power Conception of the „stuff‟ of politics Elite Theory • • • • Level of analysis / Notion of key political actors View of state & society Understanding of power Conception of the „stuff‟ of politics Class Analysis • • • • Level of analysis / Notion of key political actors View of state & society Understanding of power Conception of the „stuff‟ of politics