Suchergebnisse

This book demonstrates the increasing convergence of interest of some social scientists in the theories, research and findings of the life sciences in building a more interdisciplinary approach to the study of politics.

Preliminary findings are reported from a study of municipal councils, employing methods of direct observation under field conditions, that explored the effects of dominance status, age and relative age in groups involved in group decision-making processes. Findings show that old age was associated with greater participation in the group by actors and greater responsiveness by the group toward actors; while with regard to relative age, younger members received higher responsiveness from groups and participated at grand mean levels. Overall, being old was associated with status and involvement in small-group political interactions, but the ascriptive prerogatives of older age did not close out the opportunities for achievement by the relatively young.

This book examines the development of biopolitics as an academic perspective within political science. It reviews the work of the leading proponents of this perspective and presents a comprehensive view of biopolitics as a framework to structure political inquiry. The book's chapters present a range of analysis, critique and recommendations for the current study of biopolitics. Coverage includes; the implications of biopolitics for political theory and the need to re-evaluate basic assumptions of the prevailing political science paradigm; an analysis of the methodological concerns of adopting a more biology-based approach to political science; the current state of knowledge of the genetic and neurological bases of mass and elite behavior; and biopolicy issues and the proper role of the life sciences in informing our understanding of them. The concluding chapter restates the case for a paradigm shift toward an interactive model, arguing that, rather than lead to biological determinism as denounced by some, this inclusive paradigm allows us to counteract deterministic protestations more effectively than by continuing to ignore or minimize biological influences.