PS1020 - Governing Ideas

Governing Ideas

biopolitical power:

a term used to describe power that is exercised on populations rather than individuals, often to secure better health, education, or productivity of population as a whole

bourgeoisie:

a term most often used in Marxist analysis to refer to the social class that owns the means of production; often also referred to as the capitalist class

crisis:

a term derived from the Greek kreinen, which means decision, and typically refers to a moment of uncertainty and a tipping point after which things will be different

concept:

an idea or abstraction which subsumes the singular and unique into a broader class of things

conceptualization:

an exercise in imagination through which we name and understand a thing as being part of, or representative of, a broader class of things or practices

direct democracy:

a system of government in which political decisions are made directly by citizens

disciplinary power:

a practice through which appropriate behaviours are produced through social definitions of what is normal and expected. A Foucauldian concept, it conveys the idea of self-policing and the realization of social interests and goals without resort to force

governance:

the way we organize our common affairs; the organized exercise of power

Machiavellian:

a negative term used to describe devious and unethical behaviour driven by a lust to gain and hold political power

national state:

political unit that claims supreme authority (sovereignty) and the legitimate use of force over a defined territory and population

oligarchy:

a form of rule by the few, usually a rich political elite

pluralism:

a theory of democratic politics that asserts that political outcomes are the result of the organization of and competition among competing group interests

populism:

a style or way of doing politics that asserts a fundamental social conflict between elites and “the people”

power over:

the idea that individuals, groups, or states are unable to realize their interests and goals due to external influences, constraints, and inequalities in resources

power to:

the idea that individuals, groups, or states can realize their goals

proletariat:

a term used by Marx for the social class that does not own the means of production but is, instead, forced to sell its labour-power in exchange for wages

sovereign:

an individual or entity holding supreme power

sovereignty:

a legal (de jure) and actual (de facto) condition whereby states recognize no higher authority either domestically or externally and are thus free to act as they wish. A state’s right to manage its affairs internally, without external interference, based on the legal concept of the equality of states.