Chapter 1: Introduction to Comparative Politics

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Selection bias

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- a focus on effects rather than causes, which can lead to inaccurate conclusions about correlation or causation.

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Equality

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- a material standard of living shared by individuals within a community, society, or country.

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106 Terms

1
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Selection bias

- a focus on effects rather than causes, which can lead to inaccurate conclusions about correlation or causation.

2
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Equality

- a material standard of living shared by individuals within a community, society, or country.

3
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Casual relationship

- Cause and effect: when a change in one variable causes a change in another variable.

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Area studies

- a regional focus when studying political science, rather than studying parts of the world where similar variables are clustered.

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attitudes

A set of widely held , values, beliefs, and symbols about politics.

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Endogeneity

- the issue that cause and effect are not often clear, in that variables may be both cause and effect in relationship to one another.

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Comparativists

examine the impact of political institutions, where they come from, and how they shape politics.

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fear of restriction

An individuals ability to act independently, without or punishment by the state or other individuals or groups in society.

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material standard of living

A(n) shared by individuals within a community, society, or country.

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Game theory

- an approach that emphasizes how actors or organizations behave in their goal to influence others: built upon assumptions of rational choice.

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Hypothesis

: an educated guess about how these variables relate (If X, then Y; More of X increases /decreases Y)

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Ideals

- beliefs and values about preferred outcomes.

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Correlation

- an apparent relationship between two or more variables.

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particular outcomes

Multicausality- when variables are interconnected and interact to produce .

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Theory

- an integrated set of hypotheses, assumptions, and facts.

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Citizenship

is a constitutive norm.

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Multicasuality

: when variables are interconnected and interact to produce particular outcomes.

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Quantitative method

: study through statistical data from many cases.

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international system

The idea of states in the is a constitutive norm.

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Comparative researchers

use many methods and theoretical approaches to try to explain how the world works.

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Behavioral revolution

- a movement within political science during the 1950s and 1960s to develop general theories about individual political behavior that could be applied across all countries.

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Rational choice

- approach that assumes that individuals weigh the costs and benefits and make choices to maximize their benefits.

23
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Comparative method

- the means by which social scientists make comparisons across cases.

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Criticism

: Cultural values change, and they can be affected by political establishments.

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Deductive reasoning

: research that works from a hypothesis that is then tested against data (Hypothesis → Tested with Cases)

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Independent variable

- a variable whose value does not depend on that of another.

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Dependent variable

- a variable whose value changes based on that of another.

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Qualitative method

- study through an in- depth investigation of a limited number of cases.

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Modernization theory

- a theory asserting that as societies developed, they would take on a set of common characteristics, including democracy and capitalism.

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Comparative politics

is the study and comparison of domestic politics across countries.

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Control variables

: additional factors that could affect the dependent variable.

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International relations

- a field in political science that concentrates on relations between countries, such as foreign policy, war, trade, and foreign aid.

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Inductive reasoning

: research that works from case studies in order to generate hypotheses (Case → General Hypotheses)

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Formal institutions

- institutions usually based on officially sanctioned rules that are relatively clear.

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Correlation

: an apparent relationship between two or more variables.

36
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Theory

: an integrated set of hypotheses, assumptions, and facts.

37
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Behavioral revolution

: a movement within political science during the 1950s and 1960s to develop general theories about individual political behavior that could be applied across all countries.

38
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Rational choice

: approach that asusmes that individuals weigh the costs and benefits and make choices to maximize their benefits.

39
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Casual relationship

: cause and effect; when a change in one variable causes a change in another variable.

40
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Qualitative method

: study through in- depth investigation of a limited number of cases.

41
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Quantitative method

- study through statistical data from many cases.

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Comparative politics

is a social science, but one that is faced with considerable research challenges.

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Analytical concepts

assumptions and theories that guide our research

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Methods

ways to study and test those theories

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Ideals

beliefs and values about preferred outcomes

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Politics

the struggle in any group for power that will give one or more persons the ability to make decisions for the larger group

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Power

the ability to influence others or impose ones will on them

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Institutions

organizations or activities that are self-perpetuating and valued for their own sake

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Comparative method

the means by which social scientists make comparisons across cases in search of cause and effect

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Independent variable

the variable that doesnt depend on changes in other variables (the cause)

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Dependent variable

the variable that is affected by ("dependent on") the presence of the independent variable (the effect)

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Hypothesis

an educated guess about how these variables relate (If X, then Y; More of X increases/decreases Y)

53
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Control variables

additional factors that could affect the dependent variable

54
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Inductive reasoning

research that works from case studies in order to generate hypotheses (Case → General Hypotheses)

55
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Deductive reasoning

research that works from a hypothesis that is then tested against data (Hypothesis → Tested with Cases)

56
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Qualitative method

study through in-depth investigation of a limited number of cases

57
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Quantitative method

study through statistical data from many cases

58
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Correlation

an apparent relationship between two or more variables

59
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Area studies

: a regional focus when studying political science, rather than studying parts of the world where similar variables are clustered.

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"Why" Things Happen

Variables and Hypotheses

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Examples

historical case analysis

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Examples

surveyed data, large-N statistical

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Casual relationship

cause and effect; when a change in one variable causes a change in another variable

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Multicasuality

when variables are interconnected and interact to produce particular outcomes

65
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Area studies

a regional focus when studying political science, rather than studying parts of the world where similar variables are clustered

66
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The risk

some regions are overrepresented in research; may bias conclusions

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Selection bias

a focus on effects rather than causes, which can lead to inaccurate conclusions about correlation or causation

68
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Endogeneity

the issue that cause and effect are not often clear, in that variables may be both cause and effect in relationship to one another

69
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Theory

an integrated set of hypotheses, assumptions, and facts

70
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Rational choice

approach that asusmes that individuals weigh the costs and benefits and make choices to maximize their benefits

71
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Criticism

Cultural values change, and they can be affected by political establishments

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Criticism

Too much reliance on interpretation

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Critcism

What about underlying motives of ideology

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Modernization theory

a theory asserting that as societies developed, they would take on a set of common characteristics, including democracy and capitalism

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Behavioral revolution

a movement within political science during the 1950s and 1960s to develop general theories about individual political behavior that could be applied across all countries

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A Guiding Concept

Political Institutions

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Institutions

organizations or activities that are self-perpetuating and valued for their own sake

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A Guiding Ideal

Reconciling Freedom and Equality

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Freedom and Equality

Is There a Trade-Off

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Freedom and Equality

Can One Exist without the Other

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V. In Sum

Looking Ahead and Thinking Carefully

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Area studies

a regional focus when studying political science, rather than studying parts of the world where similar variables are clustered

83
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Behavioral revolution

a movement within political science during the 1950s and 1960s to develop general theories about individual political behavior that could be applied across all countries

84
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Comparative method

the means by which social scientists make comparisons across cases

85
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Comparative politics

the study and comparison of domestic across politics across countries

86
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Correlation

an apparent relationship between two or more variables

87
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Deductive reasoning

research that works from a hypothesis that is then tested against data

88
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Dependent variable

a variable whose value changes based on that of another

89
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Endogeneity

the issue that cause and effect are not often clear, in that variables may be both cause and effect in relationship to one another

90
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Equality

a material standard of living shared by individuals within a community, society, or country

91
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Formal institutions

institutions usually based on officially sanctioned rules that are relatively clear

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Freedom

the ability of an individual to act independently, without fear of restriction or punishment by the state or other individuals or groups in society

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Independent variable

a variable whose value does not depend on that of another

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Inductive reasoning

research that works from case studies in order to generate hypotheses

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Informal institutions

institutions with unwritten and unofficial rules

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Institutions

an organization or activity that is self-perpetuating and valued for its own sake

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International relations

a field in political science that concentrates on relations between countries, such as foreign policy, war, trade, and foreign aid

98
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Modernization theory

a theory asserting that as societies developed, they would take on a set of common characteristics, including democracy and capitalism

99
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Multicausality

when variables are interconnected and interact to produce particular outcomes

100
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Politics

the struggle in any group for power that will give one or more persons the ability to make decisions for the larger group