All Key Terms

Dogmatism

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

Political polarization

The movement of an electorate to political extremes.

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.

Associational interest groups

Formally organized groups representing specific interests, with permanent staff and clear procedures.

Anomic interest groups

Spontaneous, disoriented groups chaotically organized and lacking central leadership.

Communal interest groups

Groups established based on a common origin, tradition or loyalty.

Poldering

Consensus-building between different interest groups in social or economic spheres.

Lobbying

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

Top leaders

Highly visible leaders of national significance in fields such as the military, politics or religion.

Middle-range leaders

Leaders respected in specific sectors– for example, for their work as academics, on humanitarian issues or as representatives of ethnic groups.

Grassroots leaders

Local leaders directly involved in the community in areas such as local politics, health or community-building.

Formal political forums

Gatherings in the context of an IGO, where parties meet about an agreed agenda item, with secretarial support and in pursuit of a clear and shared outcome.

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 reparation and improvement.

Whistleblowers

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

Agency Theory

This theory argues that members of society are 'principles' who delegate the work towards societal goals to 'agents' in the form of state structures, NGOs and IGOs.

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.

Unipolar

A political system with one dominant powerful state supported by allies.

Bipolar

A political system with two dominant powerful blocks of states.

Multipolar

A political system with a diffusion of power across several power blocks.

Cold war

The period of political tension between the US and the Soviet Union after the second world war.

Hegemony

A political system with one dominant superpower.

Customary law

A general practice of interstate behavior that has become the norm, without consistent objection from states.

Coup d'état

A seizure and removal of a government and its powers by another party, such as a political faction, a rebel group or the military.

Diplomacy

Communication between states about matters of national or international importance.

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.

Social movement

A collective of individuals advocating a shared goal.

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 focused 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.

Power diffusion

The movement of power away from states to various non-state actors.

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

Derived from the Ancient Greek words demos (people) and kratos (power). 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.

Regionalization of world politics

The growth of regional cooperation, sometimes under the umbrella of regional IGOs, or through informal collaboration.

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.

Civil society

A network of social arrangements through which groups in society represent themselves, both to each other and to the state.

Gross domestic product (GDP)

The standard measure of the value added created through the production of goods and services in a country during a certain period.

Philanthropy

Wealthy private individuals or organizations supporting a charitable cause often to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged citizens, usually through donations of money. Other charitable causes support animal welfare and environmental protection.

Polarization

The growing political differences between groups with opposing viewpoints, leading to animosity.

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.