#  Political and Historical Sociology 

 



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 ![March for Mexican presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico City, 2006. Photo credit: Tamara Kay](/sites/g/files/omnuum1481/files/sociology/files/political_historical.jpg)

 

This cluster explores interdisciplinary scholarship in socio-economic, cultural and political history. The focus is on the nature, dynamics and interacting influences of culture, politics and institutions, explored at all levels of analysis. Research is guided by the recurring theoretical problems of causality, origins, continuity and change. Research topics include the divergent developmental paths of capitalism and socialism; slavery, colonialism and their post-colonial consequences; the historical constructions of race-ethnicity and anti-racist strategies; the relationships between collective identities, political discourse, and political change; political and economic consequences of global and regional integration; and the origins, development and diffusion of major politico-cultural values and institutions such as freedom, liberalism and democracy. The department¹s Workshop in History, Culture and Sociology provides a forum for the presentation of scholarship in this cluster from across the university and region.

The department sponsors the [Workshop in History, Culture, and Society](https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/history-culture-society-workshop).

[Affiliated Graduate Students](/people/graduate-student-research-clusters/political-historical-sociology)



 

##  Associated Faculty 

 



  [### Laura Kremen Adler

 ](/people/laura-adler-1) 

   [### Clem Aeppli

 ](/people/clem-aeppli-0) 

   [### Clem Aeppli

 ](/people/clem-aeppli) 

   [### Francisca Afantchao Biakou

 ](/people/francisca-afantchao-biakou) 

   [### David Laurence Ager

 ](/people/david-laurence-ager) 

   [### Joa Alexander

 ](/people/joa-alexander) 

   [### John Almandoz

 ](/people/john-almandoz) 

   [### Tally Amir

 ](/people/tally-amir-0) 

   [### Weihua An

 ](/people/weihua) 

   [### Aja Antoine-Jones

 ](/people/aja-antoine-jones) 

   [### David Arbeláez

 ](/people/david-arbelaez) 

   [### Asad L. Asad

 ](/people/asad-l-asad-0) 

   [### Victoria S. Asbury-Kimmel

 ](/people/victoria-asbury-0) 

   [### Victoria Asbury-Kimmel

 ](/people/victoria-asbury-kimmel) 

   [### Hero Ashman

 ](/people/hero-ashman-0) 

   [### Elena Ayala-Hurtado

 ](/people/elena-ayala-hurtado-1) 

   [### Matthew Gerard Baggetta

 ](/people/matthew-gerard-baggetta) 

   [### Silvan Daniel Baier

 ](/people/silvan-daniel-baier) 

   [### Eun Se Baik

 ](/people/eun-se-baik) 

   [### Christopher Andrew Bail

 ](/people/christopher-andrew-bail) 

  

 

 

 

 

##  News related to Political & Historical Sociology 

 



  [### Symposium on Patterson's Paradox of Freedom Published

 ](/news/2026/06/symposium-pattersons-paradox-freedom-published) June 15, 2026 

 The European Journal of Sociology has published the remarks delivered at a panel discussion on the life and work of Stone Program faculty affiliate Orlando Patterson, the John Cowles Professor of Sociology at Harvard University. This event took place at... 

 

 

   ![Orlando Patterson](/sites/g/files/omnuum1481/files/styles/hwp_scale_small/public/2025-09/Orlando%20Patterson%20-%20Photo%20for%20Website.jpg.jpeg?itok=P3soM6JC) 

 



 

 

   [### Ellis Monk awarded ASA Theory Section Award

 ](/news/2026/06/ellis-monk-awarded-asa-theory-section-award) June 08, 2026 

 American Sociology Association's Theory Section’s Lewis A Coser Award for Theoretical Agenda-Setting awarded to Professor Ellis Monk. Please see more about the award here . 

 

 

   ![Ellis Monk](/sites/g/files/omnuum1481/files/styles/hwp_scale_small/public/2022-11-22_Dr.-Ellis-Monk_Harvard-University-002-2048x1152.jpg?itok=JAdEggaa) 

 



 

 

   [### The Monk Skin Tone Scale now held in permanent collection of UK museum

 ](/news/2026/06/monk-skin-tone-scale-now-held-permanent-collection-uk-museum) June 02, 2026 

 Learn more about the Monk Skin Tone Scale, and the display at National Science and Media Museum Sound and Vision galleries. 

 

 

   ![Monk skin tone museum display](/sites/g/files/omnuum1481/files/styles/hwp_scale_small/public/2026-06/monk%20scale_museum.jpeg?itok=rAgBrnYj) 

 



 

 

   [### 2026 Sociology Undergraduate Thesis Prizes and Academic Awards

 ](/news/2026/05/2026-sociology-undergraduate-thesis-prizes-and-academic-awards) May 26, 2026 

 The department would like to congratulate the following students for their outstanding thesis work and academic achievements during the 2026 academic year: Fulton Prize Each year the Albert M. Fulton, Class of 1897, Prize is presented to the senior who... 

 

 

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   [### 2026 Sociology Undergraduate Thesis Prizes and Academic Awards

 ](/news/2026/05/2026-sociology-undergraduate-thesis-prizes-and-academic-awards-0) May 26, 2026 

 Students receive Fulton, Hoopes, Cummings, and Rose prizes for outstanding thesis work; Five students inducted to Phi Beta Kappa; Three students accepted to American Sociological Association 2026 Honors Program. Read more here. 

 

 

 description 

 

  

 

 

 

 

##  Related Publications 

 



  Download 20 citations  download- [BibTeX](/bibcite/export?pager_style=show_more&number_of_items=3&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_country%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_featuredpublications%5D&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchclusters%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=1206&&&format=bibtex)
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Patterson, O. (2019). *[The Confounding Island: Institutions, Culture and Mis-development in Post-Colonial Jamaica](/publications/confounding-island-institutions-culture-and-mis-development-post-colonial)*. Harvard University Press.



 

 

Patterson, O. (2019). *[The Confounding Island: Institutions, Culture and Mis-development in Post-Colonial Jamaica](/publications/confounding-island-institutions-culture-and-mis-development-post-colonial)*. Harvard University Press.



 

 

 

 

Beckfield, J., & Krieger, N. (2018). [Political Sociology and the People’s Health (Small Books Big Ideas in Population Health)](/publications/political-sociology-and-peoples-health). In *Small Books Big Ideas in Population Health* (p. 208). Oxford University Press.



 

 

Beckfield, J., & Krieger, N. (2018). [Political Sociology and the People’s Health (Small Books Big Ideas in Population Health)](/publications/political-sociology-and-peoples-health). In *Small Books Big Ideas in Population Health* (p. 208). Oxford University Press.



 

 

 

 

Kim, H. H., & Chang, P. Y. (2018). [The Impact of Delinquent Friendship Networks and Neighborhood Quality on Adolescent Suicidal Ideation in South Korea ](/publications/impact-delinquent-friendship-networks-and-neighborhood-quality-adolescent). *Social Forces*, *97*(1), 347-376.



 

 

Kim, H. H., & Chang, P. Y. (2018). [The Impact of Delinquent Friendship Networks and Neighborhood Quality on Adolescent Suicidal Ideation in South Korea ](/publications/impact-delinquent-friendship-networks-and-neighborhood-quality-adolescent). *Social Forces*, *97*(1), 347-376.



 

 

 

 

 



 

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