Introduction Flashcards
Sovereignty
The ability of states to carry out actions or policies within a territory independently from external actors or internal rivals
Institutions
Organizations or activities that are self-perpetuating and valued for their own sake
Politics
The struggle in any group for power that will give one or more persons the ability to make decisions for the larger group
Comparative Politics
A subfield that compares the “power” struggle across countries
Comparative Method
A way to make comparisons across cases and draw conclusions
Qualitative research
Mastery of a limited number of cases through the detailed study of their history, language and culture, emphasis on depth over breadth
Quantitative research
Gathering of statistical data across a large number of countries in order to look for correlations and test hypotheses about cause and effect, emphasis on breadth over depth
Normative
An approach in comparative study that makes a value judgment based on researched data, answers, “how the world should be”
Empirical
An approach in comparative studies that emphasizes numerical data, answers, “how the world is”
Statecraft
How to govern
Modernization Theory
Held that as societies developed, they would become capitalist democracies, converging around a shared set of values and characteristics, here the focus of study is political institutions
Behavioralism
A shift in political study from political intuitions to individual political behavior