comparative politics midterm definitions to know

theory

an abstract argument that provides a systematic explanation of some phenomenon

empirical theory

an argument explaining what actually occurs

normative theory

an argument that explains what ought to happen

hypothesis

claim that certain things cause other things to happen or change

independent variable

the thing that explains the dependent variable

dependent variable

the phenomenon that the scientist is trying to explain

control

holding variables constant so the effects of one individual variable at a time can be examined

single case study

a way of research that examines a political phenomenon in a single country/community

comparative case method

examine same phenomenon is several cases, try to mimic lab conditions by careful selection of cases

rational choice theory

assumes that individuals are rational and that they bring a set of self-defined preferences into the political arena —> used to explain political behavior

psychological theories

focus on individual interests but question assumptions of rational action and are interested in how political preferences are formed

political culture

set of widely held attitudes, values, beliefs, and symbols about politics (provides people with way to understand political arena, justify political institutions/practices, and definition of appropriate political behaviors)

political socialization

process through which people learn about politics and are taught a society’s common political values and beliefs

modernists

believe clear attitudes, values, and beliefs can be identified within any particular political culture —> they change rarely and can explain lots about politics

civic culture

a culture in which citizens hold democratic values/beliefs to support their democracy —> leads to active participation in politics but also defer to leaders for effective governing

subcultures

subsets of dominant political culture (ignored by modernism)

postmaterialist

citizens are economically secure enough to move beyond economic (materialist) concerns and instead to “quality of life” concerns (human/animal/women’s rights)

postmodernism

criticism of modernism, argues cultures aren’t sets of fixed values, but instead sets of symbols suject to interpretation

political discourse

how a society talks about politics

political ideology

systematic set of beliefs about how a political system ought to be structured

structuralism

argues that broader structures in a society such as class divisions or enduring institutions influence and limit (and maybe determine) political behavior

marxism

argues that economic structures largely determine political behavior

political institutions

long standing structure that often takes form of a group with standing operating procedures

institutionalism

argues that political institutions are crucial to understanding political behavior

pluralist theories (basically group theory)

explanations of who has power that argue society is divided into political groups, and that power is dispersed so no group has complete perm. power

elite theories

argue that societies are ruled by one or more sets of elites that have effective control over virtually all power

ruling class

who has control over all political power

feminist elite theory

men are the elites

patriarchy

rule by men

state

an ongoing administrative apparatus that develops and administers laws and generates and implements public policies in a specific territory

regime

type of government

territory

an area with clearly defined borders to which it lays claim

sovereignty

legally recognized as independent and self governing (capacity to control)

legitimacy

recognized right to rule

bureaucracy

a large set of appointed officials whose function is to implement laws

absolutism

rule by a single monarch who claims complete, exclusive sovereignty over a territory and its people

strong states

capable of providing political goods to its citizens

weak states

can only partially provide political goods

failed state

a state so weak it loses sovereignty over part/all of its territory

resource curse

occurs when a state relies on a key resource for almost all of its revenue, allowing it to ignore its citizens, resulting in a weak state

quasi-states

states that have legal sovereignty and international recognition but lack most of domestic attributes of a modern state

citizen

a member of a political community or state with certain rights and duties

civil rights

rights that guarantee individual freedom as well as equal, just, and fair treatment by the state

political rights

rights associated with active political participation

social rights

rights related to basic well being and socioeconomic equality

civil society

sphere of organized non governmental, non violent activity by groups larger than individual families or firms

primordialism

sees identity groups as in some sense “natural” or God given

• have existed since primordial ooze

• can be defined unambiguously by clear criteria such as kinship, culture, language, sex, phenotype

constructivism

theory of group formation that argues that identities are created through a complex process called social construction

autonomy

ability and right of a group to govern itself

assimilation

belief that immigrants or other members of minority culture communities ought to adopt the culture of the majority population

multicultural integration

accepts that ethnocultural identities matter to citizens, will endure over time, and must be accommodated within political institutions

consociationalism

democratic system designed to ease ethnic tensions by recognizing existence of specific groups and granting them some share of power in the central government

centripetal approach

means used by democracies to resolve ethnic conflict by giving political leaders incentives to moderate their demands an d broaden appeal beyond their particular groups

imagined community

created through shared memories and experiences beyond oneself are shared only because group has learned to share them

cultural nationalism’s jus sanguinis

national unity based on common cultural heritage; citizenship based on blood

civic nationalism’s jus soli

national unity based on commonly held political beliefs; citizenship is based on residence

ethnic groups

groups who see themselves as united by one or more cultural attributes or common sense of history but don’t have/seek their own state

social class

group of people who share or perceive themselves to share a social status based on wealth/income/work/education

neutral model

being neutral but not opposed to religions

laicite

advocates that religion should play no part in the public realm (actively opposed)

positive accommodation

state is neutral among religions but willing to support religions that it recognizes as important elements in civil society

liberationists

think social equality is necessary for civil and legal equality

liberal social contract theory

governments are formed when free individuals join in a contract and allow representatives to govern them

liberalism

government is only justified if it preserves and protects the core liberties of autonomous, free/equal individuals

classical liberalism

dedicated to the right to private property, free market, and no government intervention

modern liberalism

point of government is to remove the obstacles that stand in the way of individual freedom

• economic competition created inequality so gov needs to remedy

socialism

calls for public rather than private ownership or control of property and natural resources

historic materialism

economics and politics are explained by production

superstructures

justify and sustain upper class

anarchism

held that religion, capitalism, and the state are forms of oppression that must be smashed if people are to be free

• shared marx’s view of classless, stateless society; disagreed about proletariat dictatorship being necessary

revisionism/democratic socialism

argued society was dividing into three classes (bourgeoisie, mid class, proletariat) and socialism would be implemented gradually because they had to get mid class and proletariat backing

• accumulation of reforms would create socialist future, not revolution

vanguard party

radicalized middle class intellectuals that would guide the masses to revolution (Lenin)

nationalism

premise that individual loyalty and devotion to the nation-state surpasses other individual group interests

religious nationalism

relationship of nationalism to religious beliefs

• politicization of religion and influence of religion of politics

fundamentalism

rejection of secular world, think society should go back to being guided by sacred religious text

citizenship

ability to participate in political culture/structure

political accountability

ability of the citizenry to directly or indirectly control political leaders and institutions

vertical accountability

ability of individuals and groups to hold their state’s institutions accountable directly

horizontal accountability

ability of state’s institutions to hold each other accountable

majoritarian democracy

concentrates power in a single place and office (often single party executive, exec dominance over legislature, single legislative branch, easily amendable constitution)

consensus democracy

multiparty executive with coalition government, executive-legislative balance, bicameral legislature, and rigid constitution

veto players

individual or collective actor whose agreement is essential to affect policy change

head of state

executive that is symbolic/ceremonial representative of country, non-political

head of government

implements nations laws and policies

parliamentarianism

fusion of the executive and legislative branch through powerful executive and cabinet

vote of no confidence

vote by parliament to remove a government from power

coalition government

two or more parties creating an agreement and voting/ruling together

cabinet

main policymaking body in parliamentarianism, comprised of MPs that represent makeup of majority party in legislature

ministers

secretaries, oversee a part of the bureaucracy and are a part of the cabinet

presidentialism

fuses head of state and head of government, separately legitimized legislature and executive, veto players are built into the system

separation of powers

division of powers among three branches of government

semi-presidentialism

splits executive power between elected president and a PM

cohabitation

when semipresidential systems have a president and PM who are different parties

judicial review

authority judiciary to decide if a specific law violates a country’s constitution

institutionalization

degree to which government processes and procedures are established, predictable, and routinized (are they in constitution)

common law

legal system where rulings are decided based off of judges interpretation of written law and understanding of past cases

code law

legal system where judges must only follow law as written with as little interpretation as possible

judicial independence

ability of judges to rule without the influence of politicians

principal-agent problem

principal (executive) delegates jobs to agent (bureaucrat) but how do they make sure agent is carrying out task as assigned?

political appointees

appointed by exec, oversee bureaucracy to make sure they are following the laws, but have no say in hiring, promotion, or salaries