Sociology of Elites

fakultatywne

The two-semester course offers a rich outline of the sociology of elites. The main underlying problem is the authority of elites and the ways they exert power in modern societies. Students will learn crucial theoretical approaches to elites (mainly G. Mosca, V. Pareto, Charles W. Mills, and P. Bourdieu). They will also study selected empirically oriented historical and sociological approaches to the elite’s agency and the elite’s changes resulting from socio-historical transformation. On the one hand, the seminar delves into sociological theories of elites. On the other hand, it tackles the history of specific examples of the formation and presence of elites (particularly in the 20th and the 21st centuries). The course will also address the formation of elites in Central and Eastern Europe, with particular emphasis on their circulation and reproduction in historical and societal contexts.

The course aims to discuss the theory and societal aspects of the elites. It is of a seminar character. The course is divided into three complementary parts combining theoretical and empirical approaches. Firstly, the crucial theoretical framework of elites will be discussed (e.g., Gaetano Mosca, Vilfredo Pareto, Charles W. Mills, Pierre Bourdieu). Additionally, the elites’ roles in semi-peripheral countries will be covered.

Secondly, the course will address debates around historical and social processes crucial for elite formation and change. Separate classes will tackle the elites in Central and Eastern Europe, emphasizing turning historical points in different societal and political circumstances: support for communism, societal and political transformations (mainly after 1989), and democratization. The class will also address the problems of elites’ reproduction vs circulation.

Thirdly, the course concerns exemplary and selected activities and the presence of the elite in modern societies. The class will offer a critical summary of struggles within the elites, their role in democracy, and anti-elitist attitudes.

The exemplary titles: The final list of readings will be given during the first classes:

1. Etzioni-Halevy Eva (1993) The Elite Connection. Problems and Potential of Western Democracy. Cambridge: Polity Press.

2. Mosca G. (1939) The Rulling Class, New York.

3. Pareto V. (1991) The Rise and Fall of the Elites. Application of Theoretical Sociology (fragments). Routledge.

4. Putnam R.D. (1976) The Comparative Study of Political Elites, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

5. Dogan Mattei (ed.) (2003) Elite Configuration and the Apex of Power. Boston: Brill.

6. Christopher Lash, (1996) The revolt of the elites and the betrayal of democracy. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

7. Field, G. Lowell, and John Higley. 1980. Elitism. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

8. Wacquant, L. J. D. (1993) ‘From Ruling Class to Field of Power: An Interview with Pierre Bourdieu on La Noblesse d’État’, Theory, Culture & Society, 10(3): 19–44.

9. Konrád, György; Szelényi, Iván (1979). The Intellectuals on the Road to Class Power: A Sociological Study of the Role of the Intelligentsia in Socialism. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

10. Gouldner A., (1979), The Future of Intellectuals and the Rise of the New Class, New York 1979.

11. Falk Barbara. 2003. The Dillemas of Dissidence of East-Central Europe, CEU PRESS.

12. Flam Helena, Dissenting Intellectuals and plain Dissenters: the Cases of Poland and East Germany, Intellectuals and Politics in East-Central Europe, ed. By Bozoki A. CEU PRESS.

13. Bozóki András. (red.), Intellectuals and Politics in Central Europe, Budapest: Central European University Press.

14. Bozóki András. 2002. Theoretical Interpretation of Elite Change in East Central Europe. EUI Working Papers: European University Institute.

15. Eyal, Gil, Iván Szelényi, i Eleanor R. Townsley. 1998. Making capitalism without capitalists. Class formation and elite struggles in post-communist Central Europe. London, New York: Verso.

16. Bozóki, András. 2003. “Theoretical Interpretations of Elite Change in East Central Europe.” In Elite Configurations at the Apex of Power, edited by Mattei Dogan, 215–247. Leiden–Boston: Brill.

17. Higley John, Jan Pakulski. 1992. “Revolution and Elite Transformation in Eastern Europe.” Australian Journal of Political Science 27 (1): 104–119.

18. Wasilewski Jacek, Edmund Wnuk-Lipiński, Winding Road from the Communist to the Post-Solidarity Elite, Theory and Society, Vol. 24, No. 5, 669- 696.

19. Szelényi, Iván, and Szonja Szelényi. 1995. “Circulation or Reproduction of Elites during the Postcommunist Transformation of Eastern Europe: Introduction.” Theory and Society 24 (5): 615–638.

20. Wasilewski, Jacek. 2001. “Three Elites of the Central-East European Democratization.” In Transformative Paths in Central and Eastern Europe, edited by Radosław Markowski and Edmund Wnuk-Lipiński, 133–142. Warsaw: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.

21. Applebaum Anne (2020). Twilight of Democracy. The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism. New York.

Additional Readings:

22. Bourdieu, Pierre. 1988 [1984]. Homo Academicus. Trans. Peter Collier. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

23. Jakubowska Longina (2016) Patrons of History. Nobility, Capital, and Political Transition in Poland. Routledge.

24. Wedel J. (2009) Shadow Elite. How the World’s New Power Brokers Undermine Democracy, Government and the Free Market. New York: Basic Books.

25. Kulas P., K. Wielecki. (eds.) (2024) Elites of Post-Transformation. The Cases of Eastern and Central European Countries, Warsaw University Press.

26. Lipset S.M, Basu A. (1975), Intellectual types and political roles. In The Idea of Social Structure, ed. L. Coser, Harcourt Brace, New York, pp. 433–470.

27. Higley J, Best H. (eds.) (2018) The Palgrave Handbook of Political Elites. Palgrave MacMillan.

28. New directions in elite studies, (eds.) (2018) Olav Korsnes [and four others]. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge.

29. Bachrach P. (1967) The Theory of Democratic Elitism: A Critique, Boston.

30. Dahl R.A. (1971) Polyarchy: participation and Opposition. New Heaven.

31. Schumpeter Joseph A. 1976. Capitalism, Socialism, Democracy, Routledge.

32. Hartmann, Michael. (2007) The Sociology of Elites. New York: Routledge.

33. Mills Charles W. 1956. The Power Elite. New York: Oxford University Press.

After completing the course, the student (K_U10):

- knows the main classical theories of elites (K_W02)

- knows the main modern theoretical frameworks of elites (K_W02)

- knows the role of elites in democracy

- has in-depth knowledge of the most important international and national sociological research relating to elites (K_W09)

- can discuss elites’ roles in societal and political transformations (K_W09)

- can discuss the historical shifts of elites in the 20th century K_W09,

- can differ between different elites’ fractions: economic, cultural, political, (K_U10)

- can apply the model of circulation vs reproduction to elite analysis K_W04

- knows the most important current debates on elites K_W01

- understands the role elites in traditional and modern societies (including knowledge-based societies) K_K08

- can discuss the role of elites in maintaining, constituting and changing the societal and political order K_U11

- is reflective and critical towards social diversity and inequalities, K_K05

- can critically and reflectively address the issue of elites' role in constituting the field of power K_K03

- has in-depth knowledge of political agency of elites K_K08

- has in-depth knowledge of the processes underlying stability and social change and is reflective and critical in their interpretation K_W05

- can determine the impact of group processes on the behaviour of an individual K_U05

- Active participation in classes (80%)

- Presentations’ preparation (20%)

Absences:

- It is possible to have 2 unjustified absences;

- In case of 3 or 4 unjustified absences, it is possible to make up for them after consultation (usually by writing 2-3 pages notes on assigned readings);

- In case of 5 unjustified absences there is no possibility for obtaining course credit.