Introduction To Political Science Flashcards
What is one of the most contentious concepts in social sciences?
Politics
Politics is often misused and misconceived, especially in the developing world.
What negative associations does the concept of politics have in developing countries?
Negative, bad, and unethical
This includes associations with political corruption, bribery, and violence.
Who traced the misconception of politics to dubious practices of politicians in Nigeria?
Godwin Unanka
Unanka noted the link between negative perceptions and unfulfilled political promises.
What does Aristotle’s dictum ‘Man is a political animal’ imply?
Humans are inherently social and political beings
Aristotle suggested that the goal of man is happiness, achievable through social interaction.
What are the two major perspectives in defining politics?
- Institutional view
- Behavioral view
These perspectives approach politics from different angles, focusing on institutions and behavior, respectively.
How does the institutional view define politics?
The science of the state, dealing with theory, organization, government, and practice of the state
This perspective emphasizes the role of state institutions.
What is the criticism of the institutional view according to Marsh and Stoker?
It is too narrow
They argue that politics also involves the distribution of power and resources in society.
What does David Easton suggest politics revolves around?
Allocation of values
Politics is seen as a process of distributing resources among members of society.
What does Lasswell’s definition of politics focus on?
Who gets what, when, and how
This highlights the regulatory role of authority in resource distribution.
What is the role of para-political systems in politics?
They influence and shape the state and its operations
Examples include families, churches, and interest groups.
What is political science primarily concerned with?
The systematic study and analysis of politics
This includes understanding political behavior and the allocation of resources.
Who defined political science as an academic discipline focused on systematic analysis of politics?
Maxi Mbah
Mbah emphasizes the importance of understanding the factors affecting political behavior.
What historical role did the Greeks play in the development of political science?
They practiced politics in city-states and engaged in discussions affecting their governance
Aristotle referred to politics as the ‘Master of science’.
What organization was formed in 1903 to promote political science as a distinct discipline?
American Political Science Association (APSA)
This marked the beginning of political science as a formal academic field.
What is a contentious aspect of political science debated by scholars?
Its scientific nature
Scholars have differing opinions on whether political science can be classified as a science.
How is science defined in relation to political science?
An organized body of knowledge arrived at through systematic and empirical methods
This emphasizes the need for observable and verifiable methods in research.
What is science defined as?
An organized body of knowledge and a systematic and empirical method of arriving at scientific knowledge
Science involves observation, verification, classification, analysis, interpretation, and prediction.
What are the characteristics of the scientific method?
Systematic and empirical
Empirical methods are observable and open to verification.
Name the methods of science.
- Observation
- Verification
- Classification
- Analysis
- Interpretation
- Prediction
True or False: Scientific knowledge is based solely on subjective interpretation.
False
Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence and systematic methods.
What do political scientists need to do with data collected using the scientific method?
Classify the data
Classification helps in interpreting and making informed judgments about political phenomena.
According to Isaak (1985), what is a systematic knowledge based on?
Empiricism
What is one argument against the scientific nature of political science?
Objectivity and predictability are hallmarks of science, which political scientists struggle to achieve due to personal biases.
According to Grigsby, what aspect of political science research is often subjective?
The interpretation of data
Researchers may impose meanings based on personal biases.
What is the main object of study in political science?
Man, who can manipulate and affect research outcomes.
What two types of sciences are identified in the text?
- Natural sciences
- Social sciences
What is the traditional approach to political inquiry concerned with?
Historical and normative perspectives
It is prescriptive and focuses on what ought to be.
Who is considered the founder of the traditional approaches in political inquiry?
Plato
What does the philosophical approach in political science focus on?
Normative questions about what should obtain based on reason.
What does the historical approach emphasize in political science?
The relevance of past political phenomena to present and future issues.
What is the focus of the institutional approach in political science?
Formal institutions of government
It emphasizes the roles of the legislature, judiciary, and executive.
What does the legal approach study in political science?
The constitution and legal codes
It analyzes political phenomena based on legal frameworks.
What is the main concern of the behavioral approach in political science?
The empirical analysis of the behavior of individuals and social groups.
Name two proponents of the behavioral approach.
- Charles Merriam
- Gabriel Almond
What does the elite approach assume about social classes?
The elite class has significant influence over political affairs.
What is the focus of the group approach in political science?
The behavior of individuals within groups and their influence on government.
According to the systems approach, what does the political system operate within?
A community of other systems
This includes physical, social, religious, biological, and economic systems.
What is central to the decision-making approach in political science?
Decision-makers and the decisions they make.
What does the structural-functional approach assume about political systems?
Every political system has a structure that is multi-functional.
List the five input functions associated with the structural-functional approach.
- Political socialization
- Political recruitment
- Interest articulation
- Interest aggregation
- Political communication
What are the three output functions in the structural-functional approach?
- Legislative
- Executive
- Judicial
