美国的政治极化与关系网络

一、政治多元论：美国政治极化的理论背景 “社会”常常被视为一个具有整体性的概念。我们常常谈论中国社会和美国社会的差异，而在社会科学中，“社会结构”（social structure）也被绝大多数研究者作为单数形式使用。而德国古典社会学家乔治·齐美尔（George Simmel）对此持反对意见。

Political Polarization and Relational Networks in the United States

Sociologists have worried about the political consequences of decreasing social cohesion.An example is the study of political polarization in the United States.Based on a review of existing studies,we find that while American political elites and party activists have polarized in recent decades,public opinion has remained stable on most issues.To make sense of the ostensibly conflicting observations,a perspective of relational networks can shed new light.