Lobbying and Society

Lobbying and political interest groups occupy an ambivalent place in advanced democracies. Lobbying is viewed with suspicion, but is also a critical avenue for voices in policy debates.

This insightful book injects a new sociological understanding of politics and policy. Interest groups help set political agendas, provide support to policymakers, and mobilize resources around issues. They are also the means by which individuals and organizations achieve advantage over others in social and economic life. John C. Scott incorporates theory and research about interest groups into political sociology’s approach to issues of power, inequality, and public policy. As he convincingly reveals, a sociological understanding of lobbying and interest groups illustrates the edges and boundaries of representative democracy itself.

Using case studies and data, and organized by topics such as influence, collective action, representation, and inequality, the book is a critical resource for students of policymaking and political sociology.

Acknowledgements

Introduction: A Social Orientation to Interest Groups and Political Life

Chapter 1: Interests and Groups

Chapter 2: Power, Access, and Influence

Chapter 3: Interest Groups as Intermediaries between Nation-States and Citizens

Chapter 4: Inequality and Interest Groups

Chapter 5: Interest Group Politics in a Global Context

Chapter 6: New Directions in the Study of Lobbyists and Interest Groups

References

"This book offers an admirably accessible introduction to a broad range of interest group research, from the influence of interest groups to the role they play at the global level. It will be a valuable resource for all students and scholars in this area."
—Andreas Dür, Department of Political Science and Sociology, University of Salzburg, Austria

"Weaving seamlessly between cases and theory, sociology and political science, US, UK, and European politics, John Scott has produced a must-read for any who want better to understand the roles of lobbying organizations, social movements, or policy advocates in any country. One can learn as much from the wealth of case material as from the development of the theories and perspectives offered here."
—Frank Baumgartner, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

John C. Scott is Research Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill