Interdisciplinary Perspectives: The Approach of Sociologists

In this video Daniel Ritter, a former Assistant Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham, talks to Ian Cooke about ideologies and their role in holding communities together. Daniel is now based in the Department of Sociology at Stockholm University.

An ideological community need not be a nation: it could also be a city, or a particular generation, or professional group. What sort of political ideas work in this way? It is ideas, such as homeland or nationalism, that play the kind of role Daniel describes, or do communities also unite around other political values, such as freedom, equality, or a particular spirituality? And what ideology, if any, is the glue of the particular community you identify with?

The full reference to Daniel’s book ‘The Iron Cage of Liberalism’ and other further reading suggestions can be found in the Resources Bank in week 5.

And finally – well done! You’ve made it to the end of the last week. We really hope that you have found the course interesting. You can check your progress on the course so far.

Consider upgrading

Here is a reminder about how you can upgrade this course and get extra benefits, including:

• Unlimited access to the course: Go at your own pace with unlimited access to the course for as long as it exists on FutureLearn.

• A Certificate of Achievement or Statement of Participation: To help you demonstrate your learning we’ll send you a Certificate of Achievement or Statement of Participation when you become eligible.

Find out more