For the sociological study of political phenomena

Three primary and interconnected aims guide the arguments developed in this article. The first, and most general, calls for a kind of truce in rigid disciplinary boundaries, for the benefit of the heuristic potentialities of reclaiming the unity of the social sciences, as conceived by Pierre Bourdieu, for the study of dynamics of struggle and political dimensions of social life. The second aim is to present frameworks and procedures deemed effective for a research agenda focused on sociological studies of political phenomena. To this end, we draw on canonical themes (institutions, representation, the state, public policies, political parties, and activist engagement) to reflect on how they can be approached within the framework of a Bourdieusian-inspired political sociology. The third aim is to propose some brief adjustments to a French analytical tradition, for better analyzing social configurations that differ from the context in which it was originally developed, particularly in terms of criteria for social hierarchy and legitimation of intervention practices.