New Book on Political Disengagement

Nathan Manning has recently survived the process of editing a book Political (Dis)engagement. The Changing Nature of the ‘Political’. The book asks:

In what ways is the meaning and practice of politics changing?
Why might so many people feel dissatisfied and disaffected with electoral politics?
What approaches do political activists use to raise issues and mobilise people for action?
What role does the internet and social media play in contemporary citizenship and activism? 

It brings together academics from a range of disciplines with political activists and campaigners to explore the meaning of politics and citizenship in contemporary society and the current forms of political (dis)engagement. As a result Nathans edited collection provides a rare dialogue between analysts and activists which will be especially valuable to academics and students across the social sciences, in particular sociology and political science.

More information is available on the publishers’ website – Policy Press

Nathan Manning, Political Disengagement and the White Working Class

Last week the first SPS seminar for 2014 was held with a joint presentation from Mary Holmes (University of Edinburgh) and Nathan Manning (University of York). They discussed their research on the political dissatisfaction and disengagement amongst members of the white working classes in a talk called: 'I'm not bothered: researching political disengagement'.

They argued that while political science has mapped the contours of electoral disengagement using quantitative methods a more sociological approach using qualitative methods can reveal new and important insights about how people make sense of their socio-political worlds. They called for sociologists to contribute to debates about contemporary democracy.