GOV Intro terms/current events

empirical data

is fact based information from observation/experimentation

normative statements

value/opinion about the way this should/ought to be

regime

the fundamental rules and norms of politics that govern who has political power and how ideas can be turned into law: democracy vs authoritarianism

regime type

states have diff values/structures that lead to diff policy implementation of elections, civil liberties, rule of law

failed state

can't carry out the laws w/ a monopoly of force within borders

correlation

association between 2 variables, ice cream sales and murder

causation

association between 2 variables is caused by a particular thing

comparative model

use to study/see how diff system (cases) can be organized and create diff outcomes that may/may not want

personalistic authoritarianism

based on one person

democracy

competitive elections, civil liberties, rule of law - gov by the people

- increases political efficacy
- political responsiveness

authoritarianism

a political system that denies the people participation in government - no elections, civil liberties, or rule of law

free, fair, competitive elections with suffrage

people can participate freely in elections, opposition candidate can defeat ruling candidate and party

civil liberties

protections of individual freedoms from government coercion

rule of law

laws apply to people equally, to political elites and people

O - order and security: safe, ppl follow laws
L - legitimacy: ppl think government has right to rule
C - checks and balances: judicial independence, sections keep each other in check
E - equal application of the law: laws apply equally to everyone
P - procedural fairness: rights of the accused
A - access to justice: can you access justice if people have done wrong to you

consolidated substantive democracy

FULL democracy

free fair competitive elections with suffrage, civil liberties, rule of law

the state

the long lasting institutions that turn ideas into public policy with a monopoly of force

nation

body of people united by common history, culture, language, inhabiting a particular territory

government

the leadership/elite who are in charge of running the state

sovereignty

right to rule within borders with a monopoly of force

civil society

ability for people to form/belong to associations that are outside of the "state"

judicial independence

the judiciary can make decisions independent of other institutions of the state

legitimacy

the people's belief that the government has right to rule

globalization

growing interconnectedness of information, markets, politics - integrated global economy

political rights

allows you to participate in government

coercion

a ruler imposes authority through monopoly of power, domination = security

consensus

people band together for protection, cooperation

presidential system

separate elections used to select president and national legislature, prez oversees executive laws thru bureaucracy

parlimentary

lawmaking/execution of laws combined into national legislature - one decision making body

starmer/burnham PM transition

transition of power from Sir Keir Starmer to Andy Burnham as Prime Minister of the UK

connects to parliamentary system, government

albanian protests

anti-gov demonstrations - triggered by a controversial luxury tourism project backed by American investor Jared Kushner, the movement evolved into a broad rebellion against systemic corruption. The area is a protected ecosystem home to flamingos, seals, and rare bird species. Protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama

connects to legitimacy, civil liberties, civil society, globalization

"cock roach" protests in India

Gen Z-led youth movement organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) that successfully forced the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following nationwide outrage over competitive exam paper leaks

connects to civil liberties, civil society, legitimacy, the state, consensus

elections in columbia

presidential election resulting in a shift back to conservative rule after four years under leftist President Gustavo Petro. The Winner: Right-wing businessman, lawyer, and political outsider Abelardo de la Espriella won the presidency.

connects to democracy, free, fair, competitive elections with suffrage, government, legitimacy, presidential system

supreme court cases: birthright citizenship/vote by mail

Supreme Court issued landmark rulings rejecting President Donald Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship and upholding state grace periods for postmarked mail-in ballots

connects to free, fair, competitive elections w/ suffrage?, rule of law, judicial independence, civil liberties

US/Iran War

joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking leaders. This triggered massive Iranian missile and drone counterstrikes against U.S. bases, Israel, Gulf states, and commercial shipping lines

connects to authoritarianism

US/Iran War - regime change

US and Israel seeking to destabilize/overthrow the Islamic Republic's government - killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior military and political officials, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly stated that the war goal was regime change, calling on Iranian citizens to seize control of the government

connects to authoritarianism, civil liberties

US/Iran War - strait of hormuz

a temporary 60-day peacetime Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) collapsed last week, leading to a dramatic escalation in economic warfare and maritime clashes. there is an issue of control over this vital global energy chokepoint, where there is tons of shipping traffic

connects to authoritarianism, sovereignty, globalization

US/Iran War - impact on yemen and lebanon

The ongoing US-Iran War has severely destabilized both Yemen and Lebanon, dragging both nations into the crossfire through Iran's heavily armed proxy networks, the Houthis and Hezbollah. Impact on Yemen: Yemen is deeply entangled in the conflict due to the actions of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. impact on lebanon: Lebanon has become a core battleground, bearing some of the heaviest humanitarian and economic costs of the war

connects to the state, nation, legitimacy, globalization

ukraine war

As the Russo-Ukrainian war progresses well into its fifth year of full-scale conflict, it has intensified with deep aerial drone strikes hitting Russian economic infrastructure, retaliatory Russian missile campaigns targeting Ukrainian cities, and growing manpower and financial strains gripping both nations

connects to democracy, nation, sovereignty

Trump/Xi meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President Donald Trump. China agreed to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft and at least $17 billion annually in U.S. agricultural goods, while U.S. tech executives like Elon Musk and Jensen Huang pushed for eased AI chip restrictions, though President Trump held firm on export controls. President Xi said that mishandling Taiwan could risk direct conflict, though both leaders successfully aligned on keeping the Strait of Hormuz open amid Middle Eastern tensions and agreed to establish a new bilateral Board of Trade and Board of Investment to systematically navigate future disputes

connects to nation, sovereignty, globalization

Mid terms in the US- Michigan Senate primary

Abdul El-Sayed and Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers are candidates in the Michigan Senate election to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. The open seat is a critical battleground for control of the U.S. Senate

connects to free, fair, competitive elections w/ suffrage, democracy, consensus

cuba collapse

Cuba is facing an unprecedented systemic crisis brought to the brink of humanitarian and economic collapse. This deterioration has been driven by an aggressive, Trump administration-led "maximum pressure" campaign alongside decades of domestic economic centralization and structural deterioration - US oil blockade and Trump threatened tariffs on countries that help

connects to the state, legitimacy, globalization, coercion

Fed Reserve Chairmen change

Warsh was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a narrow 54-45 vote on May 13, 2026. He succeeded powell and was sworn into office, for a four-year term that concludes on May 21, 2030 - Trump had tried to take Powell out of office earlier but it was not allowed

connects to rule of law, political rights, coercion

Climate crisis in Europe

Throughout the summer of 2026, the continent has faced an escalating climate crisis characterized by severe heat domes, unprecedented water scarcity, collapsing marine ecosystems, and widespread wildfires. European Green Deal trying to deal with it

connects to civil society, consensus

Ebola in the DRC

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is currently battling its deadliest-ever epidemic of Ebola virus disease, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

connects to globalization, legitimacy