20240930_POL101 What is political participation (1)_compressed (1)-min (1)

Page 1: Mentimeter Instructions

  • Introduction to Mentimeter interaction.

Page 2: Overview of Week 4

  • Topic: What is political participation?

  • Course: POL101H1 F.

  • Date: September 30, 2024.

Page 3: Student Feelings

  • Initiating Week 4 of POL101.

  • Feedback: 0 responses received regarding feelings.

Page 4: Land Acknowledgment

  • Acknowledgment of traditional lands occupied by the University of Toronto:

    • Huron-Wendat, Seneca, Mississaugas of the Credit.

    • Recognition of the ongoing presence of Indigenous peoples.

Page 5: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

  • An emphasis on Canada's National Day dedicated to Truth and Reconciliation.

Page 6: Defining Political Participation

  • Essential question: What constitutes political participation?

Page 7: Politics as Negotiation

  • Definition of politics: Negotiation of power between the state and society.

Page 8: Mechanisms of Political Participation

  • Definition: Political participation is the process through which the negotiation of power occurs.

Page 9: Regime Influence on Participation

  • Political participation influenced by the type of regime in place.

Page 10: Authoritarian vs. Democratic Participation

  • Key distinction:

    • Authoritarian: Power-sharing perceived as a threat.

    • Democratic: Power-sharing viewed as a virtue.

Page 11: Centralization in Authoritarian Regimes

  • In authoritarian systems: Power is centralized and indivisible.

  • Authority rests with head of state and apparatus.

Page 12: Legitimacy in Authoritarian Systems

  • Legitimacy in authoritarian regimes relies on the head of state, not the populace.

Page 13: Monopoly of Force

  • Authoritarian legitimacy maintained through demonstration of control and force monopoly.

Page 14: Mobilization against Authoritarianism

  • Slogan: "The People Have Spoken! TAKE YOUR REGIME & GET OUT!"

Page 16: Legitimacy in Democratic Regimes

  • In democracies, state legitimacy derives from the people rather than from officials.

Page 17: Forms of Political Participation

  • Political participation operationalized through both institutionalized and non-institutionalized means.

Page 18: Examples of Institutionalized Participation

  • Inquiry into examples of such participation from students (0 responses thus far).

Page 19: What is Institutionalized Participation?

  • Definition: Formal, structured methods by which individuals engage politically.

Page 20: Characteristics of Institutionalized Participation

  • Regular, organized, and embedded within political frameworks.

Page 21: Influence of Social and Institutional Factors

  • Reference: Verba, Schlozman, and Brady (1995) on civic volunteerism.

  • Impact of social and institutional factors on political participation.

Page 22: Max Weber's Iron Cage

  • Definition of rationalization and bureaucratization in governance.

  • Constrains individual behavior and secures elite power.

Page 23: Solution to Democratic Problems

  • Advocating for non-institutionalized political participation as a solution.

Page 24: Examples of Non-Institutionalized Participation

  • Inquiry into student examples (0 responses thus far).

Page 25: Definition of Non-Institutionalized Participation

  • Forms of engagement outside traditional political structures.

Page 26: Deliberative Democracy Framework

  • Non-institutionalized political participation as essential, not supplementary.

Page 27: Health of Democratic Systems

  • Lack of engagement in non-institutionalized participation leads to despair in politics.

Page 28: The Root of Democratic Authority

  • Quote: "We, the people, are the root of all legitimate democratic authority" (Woodly 2022, 17).

Page 29: Constraints on Non-Institutionalized Participation

  • Major constraints arise from political opportunity structures.

Page 30: Political Opportunity Structures

  • Definition: External factors affecting the nature and likelihood of participation.

Page 31: The Contest of Threats and Opportunities

  • Historical context: Example of threats versus opportunities shaping participation.

Page 32: Dynamics in Authoritarian Regimes

  • If a regime perceives threats, only repression and revolution are feasible.

Page 33: Challenge to Power in Authoritarianism

  • Any challenge to power is a challenge to the regime itself.

Page 34: Revolution and Non-Institutionalized Politics

  • Revolutions target the state directly.

Page 35: Non-Institutionalized Participation in Democracies

  • Contrast: Not inherently revolutionary in democracies.

  • Power resides with the people.

Page 36: Perspectives on Non-Institutionalized Participation

  • Two views:

    1. Contentious politics.

    2. Social movements.

Page 37: Defining Contentious Politics

  • Definition: Interactions making claims impacting actors' interests.

Page 38: Engagement through Political Opportunities

  • Changing opportunities lead to participation incentives.

Page 39: Understanding Social Movements

  • Definition: Collective challenges based on common purposes in interaction with authorities.

Page 40: Example of Social Movements

  • Citizens mobilizing to defend their concepts of community and economic interests.

Page 41: Resistance Methods in Non-Institutionalized Politics

  • Insight from Scott (1985): Traditional views overlook everyday resistance.

Page 42: Distinction Between Movements and Politics

  • Social movements create political actors; contentious politics operates with pre-existing actors.

Page 43: Characteristics of Social Movements

  • Focus on identity and political agency development.

Page 44: Analyzing Protest Successes

  • Questions to consider: Are claims seeking a political identity or based on an established identity?

Page 45: Closing Thoughts

  • Engaging questions around identity in political participation.

Page 46: Next Class Reminder

  • See you next Monday!