Suchergebnisse

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction -- 1 Origins of the Colonial System -- 2 Expansion and Contraction -- 3 Two Turning Points -- 4 The Birth Pangs of Nationalism -- 5 Nationhood Begins, and Almost Ends -- 6 Federalism Suborned -- 7 Completing the Journey West -- 8 Nations Reborn -- 9 The Vagaries of National Political Development -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Index

This paper examines recent work in the sociology of culture devoted to providing endogenous explanations of cultural phenomena. The focus is on works that provide cultural explanations of cultural processes, as opposed to the social structural and "production of culture" explanations otherwise predominant in the literature. I examine three distinct approaches: a "post-hermeneutic" approach devoted not to the question of cultural interpretation but to the issue of subjects' manipulation of culture in the quest for meaning; a semiotic approach focused on the mechanics of symbol systems; and an ecological approach that emphasizes the role of competition and niche density in explaining both cultural stasis and change. The three approaches have in common a general lack of interest in traditional conceptions of meaning (verstehen), choosing instead to focus on issues related to the internal structure and dynamics of cultural expression. This marks a new opportunity for synthesis and exploration in a field traditionally devoted to extra-cultural explanation of cultural phenomena. Both endogenous and exogenous explanations are offered for the rise of this new trend in the sociology of culture.

The term rent-seeking refers to special interest group efforts to seek special benefits at little or no cost to themselves. Because government spending has the potential to create both costs and benefits for taxpayers, fiscal policy is commonly viewed as a primary arena of rent-seeking activity. At least five different theories of nineteenth-century American urban development fit this general rubric. Each theory predicts different winners and losers as well as different underlying strategies and distributions of interests incumbent upon municipal decision making. This study uses two-wave panel data on special interest group representation and municipal social spending to examine the validity of these different theories of rent-seeking. Though all such theories share in commonan emphasis on self-seeking, this study points to the role of competition between different sectors of the local economy as a motivating force for the formation and mobilization of special interest group organizations. This finding contrasts with those rent-seeking theories that predict widespread cooperation among communities and/or classes in pursuit of common goals. Suggestions for future research on this topic are offered as well.

"The Second Amendment is there as a balance of power. It is literally a loaded gun in the hands of the people held to the heads of government."
—NRA field representative Fred Romero, 1990


The right to bear arms is one of the most controversial issues in United States history; it has always been so, though not for the reasons usually cited by contemporaries. It has been customary since at least the late nineteenth century to view military organizations as an extension of the legitimate authority of the state (except in case of unsanctioned resistance). The American experience, however, gives lie to the assumption that there is a clean analytical divide between state and civil society when it comes to military matters.

An exploration of the linkage between state, military, & civil society focuses on the right to bear arms in the US to argue that the contemporary controversy differs significantly from earlier debates. Prior to the 1903 formation of the National Guard, US defense was divided between federal, state, & "independent" forces that included voluntary militia organizations. The evolution from ethnic militias to the American military tradition is traced, noting that fear of state oppression produced civil military organizations whose rapid growth spawned a countermovement to restrain such organizations through state regulatory agencies, which led to the formation of stronger federal forces. It is maintained that the National Rifle Assoc, & the anxiety about federal oppression expressed by right-wing militia groups, are present-day embodiments of the earlier "civic" system. In spite of the rhetoric of gun advocates, both the Constitution & the history of government are ambiguous about private gun ownership. Avenues for further research are suggested. 1 Table, 76 References. J. Lindroth

In a world increasingly dominated by high technology and esoteric scientific knowledge it is not surprising that political scientists and sociologists have begun to ask what role experts and specialists play in the policymaking process. Inaugurated almost a century ago by Weber's seminal essay on bureaucracy and the rationalization of authority, this issue was subsequently developed out of neo-Marxist debates over the relative autonomy of the state into a more explicitly state-centered perspective. Though state-centered theorists have not abandoned pluralism altogether, bureaucrats and policy experts have increasingly taken center stage in policy analyses. These state actors are portrayed as "policy experts," free from political pressure, focused on making policy recommendations based on the most up-to-date knowledge of the field. Instead of pursuing votes and campaign money, policy experts seek the most efficient answers to social problems, a rationalized process of positivistic scientific inquiry and experiential learning. In most areas of public policymaking, this boils down to the reductive analysis of prior, presumably analogous, policy outcomes, drawing lessons for the future from the successes and failures of the past. Seen from this perspective, policymaking is portrayed as "a deliberate attempt to adjust the goals or techniques of policy in response to past experience and new information." History thus not only transforms state capacities (as in historical institutionalist accounts) but alsodirectlyeffects the ways in which policymakers think about social problems. Political scientists refer to this as a "social learning" process.

This session will present current research on how a dynamic university is using telepresence to effectively educate undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. Participants will explore the potential of this cutting-edge technology to facilitate face-to-face distributed learning. Special attention will be afforded to the finding that sense of community continues to be a challenge to telepresence in the classroom and how departments are seeking to address it. Recommendations will be offered to guide departments regarding potential opportunities and roadblocks toward incorporating telepresence into the classroom.

Do extracurricular activities increase students' likelihood of attending college, including prestigious institutions? Yes, but grades, test scores, and family background still matter more.