Researching Power Elites

The seminar discusses the formation and reproduction of power elites on a local, regional, and global scale. However, while power elites or ruling classes are often at the core of social theories, we know much less about their formation, social structure, and modes of reproduction than one might expect. The main reason for this is the “class ceiling”—the impossibility of access to the field of power for researchers from lower classes. This is why, in worst case scenarios, studies on power elites tend to tip into mere conspiracy theories. The seminar nevertheless argues for the importance of “studying up.” The focus, therefore, is on the question of how to conduct research on a social class that in many regards lies beyond the (social) reach of academic researchers. For this, the seminar critically interrogates various attempts to study the sphere of power and their methodological strengths and weaknesses.