Module 1 - PAF 112 Public Service and American Democracy Study Guide

Definitions

Culture

The way that non-material objects – like thoughts, action, language, and values – come together with material objects to form a way of life.

material culture

The culture of things

non-material culture

the culture of ideas

Symbols

include anything that carries a specific meaning that’s recognized by people who share a culture

Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

argues that a person’s thoughts and actions are influenced by the cultural lens created by the language they speak.

Values

the cultural standards that people use to decide what’s good or bad and what’s right or wrong.

Beliefs

specific ideas about what people think is true about the world

Cultural norms

the rules and expectations that guide behavior within a society.

Folkways

the informal little rules that go without saying.

Mores

more official than folkways and tend to be codified, or formalized, as the sated rules and laws of a society

Taboo

the norms that are crucial to a society’s moral center.

Generation

typically refers to a group of people born within a certain period of time whose shared age and experiences shape a distinct worldview.

Government

The means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals.

Democracy

A form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people as opposed to a king or other ruler.

Public goods

Goods provided by government that anyone can use and that are available to all without charge.

Politics

refers to the process of gaining and exercising control within a government for the purpose of setting and achieving particular goals, especially those related to the division of resources within a nation.

Representative democracy

A form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to vote directly on laws.

Direct democracy

A form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them.

Social capital

Connections or relationships with others and the willingness to interact with and aid others.

Alexis de Tocqueville

A french diplomat and social scientist who traveled to the United States in 1831. He wrote the book, Democracy in America, about what he witnessed about American society and its democratic system of politics.

Associations

The relationships that people form with one another to accomplish specific tasks. Alexis de Tocqueville was especially interested in the non-political purposes that caused Americans to form associations where, in other countries, a government would have taken the lead. Associations can be informal or formal organizations.

Identity

A shared characteristic that can cause people to form a group, such as race, gender, class, religion and sexuality. Shared beliefs (i.e., being anti-drinking) or shared experiences (i.e., employment-based, such as a specific employer or around a specific career path) can also lead to a sense of identity.

Group

When individuals come together around a common cause to accomplish a specific purpose.

Civic engagement

When people work as individuals or in groups to solve public problems. This often starts with becoming aware of a problem and then later involves taking action, either through political engagement or social engagement.

Political engagement

When people take action about a public problem through political means such as, but not limited to, the following types of political activities: voting or otherwise engaging in elective politics, attending marches or rallies, contacting elected representatives to advocate for a specific cause. 

Social engagement

When people take action about a public problem through social service means such as, but not limited to, the following types of activities: encouraging others to participate or enjoy the arts, volunteering for a nonprofit organization, organizing drives to provide goods or services to those in need, serving in the military, and serving in the Peace Corps or Americorps.

Socialism

In socialist societies, the means of generating
wealth, such as factories, large farms, and banks, are owned by the government and not by private individuals.

Oligarchy

only members of a certain political party or ruling elite can participate in government.

Private goods

goods provided in ample supply by private businesses that earn a profit in return. People can purchase what they need in the quantity in which they need it.

Public schools

Provide education for all children in the US.

Private schools

charge tuition, and only those parents who can afford to pay their fees (or whose children gain a scholarship) can attend these institutions.

Toll good

goods available to many people, and many people can make use of them, but only if they can pay the price. Private schools, for example.

Common goods

goods that all people may use free of charge but that are of limited supply, such as fish in the sea or clean drinking water. Because everyone can use these goods, they must be protected so a few people do not take everything that is available and leave others with nothing.

Political power

Influence over institutions, leaders, and policies—rests in the hands of the people.

Majority rule

the opinions of the majority of the
people have more influence with government than those of the minority.

Minority rights

protected rights in which people cannot be deprived of certain rights even if an overwhelming number of people think
that they should be.

Totalitarian government

type of government in which the government is more important than the citizens, and it controls all aspects of citizens’ lives. Citizens’ rights are limited, and the government does not allow political criticism or opposition.

Pluralist theory

a theory stating the government cannot function without active participation by at least some citizens. Even if we believe the elite make political decisions, participation in government through the act of voting can change who the members of the elite are.

Committed partisanship

the tendency to identify with and to support
(often blindly) a particular political party

Ideology

established beliefs and ideals that help shape political policy

Latent preferences

are not deeply held and do not remain the same over time. They may not even represent a person’s true feelings, since they may be formed on the spot when someone is asked a question about which he or she has no real opinion.

Intense preferences

are based on strong feelings regarding an issue that someone adheres to over time. People with intense preferences tend to become more engaged in politics; they are more likely to donate time and money to
campaigns or to attend political rallies.

Civil liberties

limitations placed on the government - things the government can’t do that might interfere with personal freedoms

Civil rights

curbs on the power of majorities to make decisions that would benefit some at the expense of others - civil rights guarantee equal citizenship and protect citizens from discrimination by the majority.

Substative liberties

limits on what the government can do

Procedural liberties

limits on how the government can act

Robert Putnam

Author of Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. Putnam argued that the end of the 20th century was bringing a decline of social capital in the United States. Later scholars, have questioned the validity of his work.

Methods for creating social capital

Many people associate through online mediums such as social networking sites, as well as participate in community activities in person, whether they be church, sports clubs, political groups, or parent meet-ups.

Associations

The relationships that people form with one another to accomplish specific tasks. Alexis de Tocqueville was especially interested in the non-political purposes that caused Americans to form associations where, in other countries, a government would have taken the lead. Associations can be informal or formal organizations.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

mandated equal treatment for all regardless of sex.

Title IX

applies to all educational institutions that receive federal aid and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in academic programs, dormitory space, health-care access, and school activities including sports. Thus, if a school receives federal aid, it cannot spend more funds on programs for men than on programs for women.

Glass ceiling

an invisible barrier caused by discrimination

Comparable worth

states people should be compensated equally for work requiring comparable skills, responsibilities,
and effort.