Routledge Handbook of International Political Sociology

by Xavier Guillaume (Editor), Pınar Bilgin (Editor)

This handbook presents in a comprehensive, concise and accessible overview, the emerging field of international political sociology. It summarizes and synthesizes existing knowledge in the field while presenting central themes and methodologies that have been at the centre of its development, providing the reader with a sense of the diversity and research dynamics that are at the heart of international political sociology as a field of study. A wide range of topics covered include:

International political sociology and its cognate disciplines and fields of study;
Key themes including security, mobility, finance, development, gender, religion, health, global elites and the environment;
Methodologies on how to engage with international political sociology including fieldwork, archives, discourse, ethnography, assemblage, materiality, social spaces and visuality;
Current and future challenges of international political sociology addressed by three key scholars.

Providing a synthetic reference point, summarizing key achievements and engagements while putting forward future developments and potential fruitful lines of inquiry, it is an invaluable resource for students, academics and researchers from a range of disciplines, particularly international relations, political science, sociology, political geography, international law, international political economy, security studies and gender studies

Review
'"Handbook" scarcely captures the excitement that this lively volume engenders. Guillaume, Bilgin and their innovative contributors have given us a proverbial diving board from which we all - in all fields - can launch our own plunges into an ocean of intellectual explorations. Reading this book makes clear that international political sociology is not a disciplinary fortress; it is a world of investigatory possibilities.' - Cynthia Enloe, author of Globalization and Militarism (new updated edition, 2016)

'International political sociology represents the most intellectually dynamic field of study within international relations today, and this handbook provides a definitive overview. An essential point of reference for students and scholars alike.' - Peter Mandaville, George Mason University, UK

'This handbook is an excellent introduction to the burgeoning study field of international political sociology. Combining theoretical lineages with introducing key matters of concern, it captures the intellectual diversity and dynamism of international political sociology. Guillaume and Bilgin avoid disciplinary boundary drawing and focus instead on the pluriverse of works challenging familiar conceptual repertoires of IR, giving us an excellent view of the creativity with which international political sociology engages theoretical, methodological and political challenges of our times.' - Jef Huysmans, Queen Mary, University of London, UK

‘Handbooks generally summarize, consolidate, and synthesize. That is, they serve as reference material: their quality depends on the comprehensiveness and accessibility of their collections; experts in their subject matter have no call to consult them. Guilaume’s and Bilgin’s handbook is definitely comprehensive and accessible, but it otherwise breaks the mold. It genuinely advances the international political sociology agenda. Both together, and in their individual chapters, the contributors build a case for new ways of understanding the ’state of the art’ and where to take it.’ – Daniel Nexon, Georgetown University, USA

About the Author
Xavier Guillaume is Assistant Professor in International Relations at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Netherlands. He is currently part of the International Political Sociology editorial board.

Pinar Bilgin is Professor of International Relations at Bilkent University, Turkey. She is the author of Regional Security in the Middle East (2005), The International in Security, Security in the International (2017) and Associate Editor of International Political Sociology.