Required Key Terms

Dogmatism

Strong adherence to an ideology and the perspective that there is only one truth.

Pillarization / consociationalism

A system where different groups are organized in different 'pillars', often along ethnic or religious lines, with each group having some sort of power.

Lobbying

The organized attempt to influence policy making on behalf of interest groups.

Open-source intelligence

Data analysis and research based on readily accessible sources.

Ombudsman

An appointed or elected official who investigates cases where the state may have misused its powers and offers recommendations for repreparation and improvement.

Whistleblowers

People outing a particular practice or action within an organization that they consider illegal or unethical.

Social Facts

Forms that exist in the social reality of life, influencing a person in a structural, institutional or symbolic way.

Unilateral

A state choosing to approach an issue in its own way, not agreed upon with others.

Bilateral

A state approaching an issue together with another state or a small group.

Multilateral

A larger group of states deciding together on a specific issue.

Political actors

Entities, such as a person, organization or movement, that wield some form of political power or engage with the political process.

Policymakers

Individuals or bodies that create and implement policies, in the context of governance.

Stakeholders

Political actors that have an interest, or a stake, in a particular issue.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

Any non-profit, voluntary citizens groups that are organized on a local, national or international level. They can bring citizens' concerns to governments, monitor policies and encourage political participation at the community level.

Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)

Organizations made up of states focussed on a specific issue at a global or regional level. They can be of formal or informal character.

Multinational companies (MNCs)

Companies that operate in multiple countries but typically maintain a centralized headquarters, coordinating operations from the home country.

Transnational companies (TNCs)

Companies that operate across multiple countries with a decentralized structure, adapting operations to local markets rather than relying on a single home base.

Non-state actors

Political actors that are not part of the state.

Special Interest Groups

Organized groups seeking to influence policy to benefit their specific goals. They engage in lobbying, advocacy, and public campaigns to achieve their goals.

State sovereignty

A state's ultimate control over its territory, both externally in relation to other states and internally in relation to its inhabitants.

Autocracy

A governmental system in which one ruler has all the power.

Democracy

A political system that allows the population to partake in politics, both actively as elected representatives and passively as voters.

Anocracy

A state that combines elements of democracy and autocracy.

Globalization

The increased interconnectedness of the world or 'the world becoming a smaller place'.

Urbanization

The increase of the proportion of people living in cities.

Ethnolinguistic groups

Relating to a group's language and ethnicity, with the common language of the group often providing the basis for being part of that group.

Informal IGOs

IGOs of a more fluid nature without explicit formal arrangements.

Formal IGOs

IGOs established by a treaty and with a permanent organization structure.

Right wing

Generally considered as a political position that favors a state that champions existing hierarchies and limited involvement in social welfare and the economy.

Left wing

Generally considered as a political position that favors a state that champions equality, social welfare and active involvement in the economy.