250235 Political Socialization (BS) (SoSe 2012)

The seminar will give a basic introduction to some of the main theories and research in political socialization. After the seminar, students will be able to recognize the main sources of socialization and the specific way in which these sources influence the formation of the identity and the ideology of the people.
The seminar will be organized in four parts. Firstly, the concepts of identity and ideology will be introduced as a base for the discussion of the following topics. Secondly, research on the influence of social agents, such as the family, the educational system, peers, political leaders and mass media, will be presented. Thirdly, the influence of some aspects at the individual level will be checked, such as genetic heritability, personality, developmental stages, life cycle and motivation. Finally, the relationship between socio-historical processes and socialization will be discussed in order to explain certain collective phenomena like intergroup conflict, social and mass movements, collective actions and political generations.
Using a mixture of lectures, students' presentation, and discussions, the different topics will be raised. The goal for each part will be to suggest in which way the different sources of socialization influence the formation of the identity and the ideology of the people.

Requirements for participation, required level

Every activity of the seminar (lectures, students' presentation, discussions, readings and writing essays) will be in English.

Bibliography

Sears, D.O. (1975). Political Socialization. In F.I. Greenstein & N.W. Polsby (eds.) Handbook of Political Science, vol. 2, pp, 93–153. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
John, J.T., Federico, C.M., & Napier, J.L.. (2009). Political Ideology: Its Structure, Functions, and Elective Affinities. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 307–337.
McDevitt, M. & Chaffee, S. (2002). From Top-Down to Trickle-Up Influence: Revisiting Assumptions About the Family in Political Socialization. Political Communication 19, 281–301.
Guimond, S., & Palmer, D. L. (1996). The Political Socialization of Commerce and Social Science Students: Epistemic Authority and Attitude Change. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 26 (22), 1985–2013.
McLeod, J., & Shah, D. (2009). Communication and Political Socialization: Challenges and Opportunities for Research. Political Communication, 26 (1), 1–10.
⁠Sears, D.O. & Levy, S. (2003). Childhood and adult political development. In D.O. Sears, L. Huddy, & R. Jervis (eds.). Oxford Handbook of Political Psychology, pp. 60-109. Oxford: University Press.
Kessler, T., & Cohrs, J. C. (2008). The evolution of authoritarian processes: Fostering cooperation in large-scale groups. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 12, 73-84.
Jost, J. T., & Hunyady, O. (2002). The psychology of system justification and the palliative function of ideology. European Review of Social Psychology, 13, 111-153.
Pratto, F., Sidanius, J., & Levin, S. (2006). Social dominance theory and the dynamics of intergroup relations: Taking stock and looking forward. European Review of Social Psychology, 17, 271–320.
Thomas, E. F., McGarty, C., & Mavor, K. I. (2009). Aligning identities, emotions, and beliefs to create commitment to sustainable social and political action. Personality and social psychology review, 13(3), 194-218.
Sapiro, V. (2004). Not your parents' political socialization: Introduction for a New Generation. Annual Review of Political Science, 07 (1), 1–23.