The populist wave in American politics highlights the limitations of approaches focusing on formal organizations and government bureaucracies, particularly at the national level. As "political realists" such as Galston, Yack, and Honig note, informal and emergent social bonds and cultural forces also demand attention. Others emphasize the causal priority of ideas. This debate will be engaged by examining the social and cultural dimensions of politics. Topics to be considered will include: informal, pre-political social formations such as families and neighborhoods; non-economic aspects of corruption; community institutions such as churches, synagogues, and mosques; labor unions; and Alinsky community organizations. So will social and political movements such as the Tea Party and other manifestations of populism. These will be examined in the context of a regime improbably characterized by both identity politics and expertise.
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