Chapter Outline

• 1.1 Defining Politics: Who Gets What When, Where, How, and Why

• 1.2 Public Policy, Public Interest, and Power

• 1.3 Political Science: The Systematic Study of Politics

• 1.4 Normative Political Science

• 1.5 Empirical Political Science

• 1.6 Individuals, Groups, Institutions, and International Relations

Example: Your Phone

• Politics has an impact on every aspect of our lives, with smartphones exemplifying this connectivity.

  • Ownership and Use of Smartphones:

  • Access to content can be legally restricted and influenced by region, demographics, and personal needs.

  • Access to applications relies on app stores, which are subject to political governance.

  • Phone plans can be influenced by legislation and political decisions, impacting consumer choice.

• Understanding the role of politics in everyday life prepares individuals for challenges, enhancing consumer, employee, and citizenship skills.

1.1 Defining Politics: Who Gets What When, Where, How, and Why

Learning Outcomes

• Define and describe politics from various perspectives.

• Identify what qualifies behavior as political.

• Discuss the core elements of any political event: rules, reality, and choices.

• Define and discuss varieties of constitutions.

Definition of Politics

• Politics exists wherever people interact to make decisions affecting them collectively.

• Definition: Politics can be succinctly described as “who gets what when and how.”

Other Definitions of Politics

• Harold Lasswell: "Who gets what, when, how."

• David Easton: "The authoritative allocation of values for a society."

• Vladimir Lenin: "The most concentrated expression of economics."

• Otto von Bismarck: "The capacity of always choosing at each instant, in constantly changing situations, the least harmful, the most useful."

• Bernard Crick: "A distinctive form of rule whereby people act together through institutionalized procedures to resolve differences."

• Adrian Leftwich: "Comprises all the activities of cooperation, negotiation, and conflict within and between societies."

Rules in Political Environments

• De jure rules: Policies formally written down and established.

• De facto rules: Informal policies that influence enforcement or affect behaviors.

• Example of De jure and De facto: Voting regulations - formal voting laws versus the reality of how they are implemented (e.g., how often elections are enforced).

Political Institutions

• Defined as complex social structures described in constitutions that involve rights, roles, responsibilities, and authority.

• Institutions can be synonymous with organizations and are often subject to political conflict.

Characteristics of Political Institutions

• Organizations governed by a specific set of rules and practices that inform members about their relationships and how to interact.

• Can be classified as formal (government) or informal (families, gangs).

• Examples:

  • Legislatures: Individuals with the authority to propose, deliberate, and adopt laws.

  • Executives: Charged with executing decisions and policies.

  • Courts: Apply laws and protect rights.

Reality in Politics

• Facts are objective and not debatable; however, perceptions of reality can vary.

Choices in Politics

• Political actors can alter their reality through choices, especially in democracies where voters influence decisions.

• Important Question: What constitutes political participation?

Political Participation

• Definition: Action that expresses an individual’s political will or leaning.

• Topics to consider:

  • What is political will/leaning? Where does it originate? Factors influencing political will.

  • Is political leaning individual or collective?

  • Understanding social movements.

Factors Predicting Political Participation

• Research has shown these factors impact voter participation:

  • Age

  • Income

  • Education

  • Gender

  • Race

  • Ethnicity

  • Voter fatigue

1.2 Public Policy and the Public Interest

Definition of Public Policy

• Decisions made to influence human behavior, created by executives, legislatures, and judges.

• In both democracies and non-democracies, political actors often claim their decisions serve the public interest.

Government and Power

• Power: The ability to compel someone to do something they may not voluntarily choose to do.

• Sovereignty: When no other entity holds authority over a state, it symbolizes the highest form of power.

• Governments: Institutions with recognized legal authority to exercise power within a specified geographic region.

• Countries: Defined geographic territories governed by a sovereign state, e.g., Denmark, the United States.

• States vs. Nations: States can reference smaller units in a federal system, while nations refer to groups bonded by shared history and culture.

Bargaining in Politics

• Conflict drives politics, often resulting from scarcity and differing values.

• Bargaining: The process through which conflicting groups negotiate changes to the status quo.

• Compromise: Can formally or informally resolve conflicts.

1.3 The Systematic Study of Politics

• Political scientists apply theory, logic, and evidence to answer questions and make predictions.

• Some inquire about fundamental laws, while others aim to formulate interventions to enhance institutions or increase participation.

The Scientific Method in Political Science

• Political science is probabilistic, implying we cannot predict behaviors with absolute certainty; instead, we find indicators of likely outcomes.

• Political scientists gather data to support or refute hypotheses. For instance:

  • Hypothesis: Are Female Students at UTRGV more likely to vote?

  • Methodologies employed.

• Political science is divided into two branches: normative (what should be) and empirical (what is).

1.4 Normative Political Science

Learning Outcomes

• Identify normative political science objectives.

• Discuss primary methods political philosophers utilize for inquiry.

• Outline three ways normative political scientists tackle essential questions like the definition of a good citizen.

Characteristics of Normative Political Science

• Focuses on theory and ideals (what ought to be).

• Prioritizes logic and reason in reasoning.

• Investigates the implications of:

  • Consequences

  • Rules

  • Virtue

1.5 Empirical Political Science

Learning Outcomes

• Differentiate empirical political science from its normative counterpart.

• Explain the nature and debate surrounding empirical facts.

• Define generalizations and contexts where they prove valuable.

Characteristics of Empirical Political Science

• Concentrates on observing and explaining the existing political environment rather than ideal states.

• Acknowledges challenges in asserting empirical facts amid perception disputes.

• Scientists formulate data to validate or reject hypotheses, similar to the Female Students voting inquiry above (via Surveys, Interviews).

Why Do People Vote?

• Empirical political scientists often examine multiple factors influencing voter behaviors, such as demographics of age, sex, ethnicity, and education.

Generalizations

• Generalizations serve to:

  • Describe, explain, and predict phenomena.

  • Potentially lead to stereotyping.

  • Efforts should be taken to avoid assigning blame or credit unjustly.

1.6 Complex Individual Behavior

• Individuals frequently act with instrumental, strategic, and rational objectives when pursuing goals.

• Much of human behavior also fulfills expressive and emotional needs.

Political Ideology

• Definition: A structured set of concepts aiding individuals in understanding their position in the world.

• Political ideology, while personal, connects individuals with shared beliefs.

• It fundamentally influences perceptions of appropriate roles for citizens and governments.

Group Behavior and Public Opinion

• Public Opinion: The aggregation of individual opinions on empirical questions.

  • Connection between political participation and public opinion acts as a bridge between individual actions and group behaviors.

  • Political groups encompass interest groups, political parties, and social movements.

Importance of Understanding Public Opinion

• Public opinion illustrates the consent of the governed essential for representative governance.

• Research establishes links between public opinion and policy outcomes.

• Elections reflect winners, while polls elucidate reasons for these victories.

• Public opinion polling enables insights into international perspectives.

Polling Concepts

• Definition of public opinion polls: Scientific efforts to assess public opinions.

• Sample: Group representing the entire population within research.

  • Probability Sampling: Random samples ensuring each participant has an equal chance.

  • Random Digit Dialing: Random generation of phone numbers for sampling.

  • Convenience Samples: Sourced from readily available demographics, often resulting in inaccuracies.

  • Cluster Samples: Division of population into characteristic clusters from which samples are drawn.

Challenges in Polling

• Potential issues affecting polling accuracy include:

  • Sampling Error: Accuracy improves with larger samples.

  • Selection Bias: Non-representative samples skew results.

  • Measurement Error

  • Question Wording Effects: Different wording yields varied responses.

  • Interviewer Bias: Interviewer influence on responses.

  • Response Bias: Respondents misrepresent their true opinions.

  • Social Desirability Bias: Respondents give expected answers instead of honest opinions.

Global Public Opinion

• Polls gauge global perceptions of various populations concerning American presidents' decisions in foreign affairs.

• Example: Pew Research Center Fall 2020 Global Attitudes Survey results comparing perceptions in France, Germany, and the UK.

Political Socialization and Culture

• Political Socialization: The ongoing process through which individuals develop beliefs over time.

• Political Culture: A set of collective beliefs characterizing a group or society.

• Collective dilemmas arise as multiple individuals contribute to group decision-making.

• Collective Action Problems: Occur when motives misalign, hindering collective action or decisions.

Importance of Voting as Political Participation

• Voting is vital for self-governance, ensuring representatives align with public interests.

  • Helps elect capable candidates and directs officials regarding voter support.

  • Critical for a fair government, balancing pressures that can obstruct complete representation.

Other Forms of Political Participation and Their Barriers

• Various political participation practices beyond voting have been discussed, e.g.:

  • Contacting Legislators: Encountering knowledge barriers.

  • Volunteering: Barriers to engagement.

  • Engaging in Discussions: Both in-person and online discussions face barriers.

  • Donating: Financial barriers may restrict participation.

  • Protesting: Potential barriers to activism.

  • Direct Activism: Obstacles in persuading others.

Types of Political Participation

• Global participation levels vary; typically low beyond voting.

• Digital engagement in politics often surpasses traditional volunteering or event attendance.

Big Questions in Political Context

• Common inquiries regarding politics include:

  • Why do conflicts escalate?

  • How do political ideologies shape contemporary society?

  • How do sources of power affect policy creation and application?

  • What role does globalization play in modern politics?