Midterm Flashcards
Negative Freedom
Freedom from interference; the absence of obstacles, barriers, or constraints (Isaiah Berlin).
Example sentence: Citizens should have negative freedom from government surveillance.
Positive Freedom
The ability and opportunity to act upon one’s free will; self-mastery and self-realization.
Social Equality
Equal treatment in social contexts, including race, gender, and class.
Political Equality
Equal participation in political processes, voting rights, and representation.
Economic Equality
Fair distribution of wealth and resources, addressing income inequality.
Distributive Justice
Focuses on the fair allocation of resources among diverse members of a community (John Rawls).
Procedural Justice
Emphasizes fair processes in legal and political decision-making.
Power
The ability to influence or control the behavior of people or the course of events. Types include coercive power, economic power, and ideological power.
Legitimacy
The right and acceptance of authority, often derived from consent of the governed.
Empirical Research Methods
Understand qualitative and quantitative methods used in political science research, including surveys, case studies, and statistical analysis.
Additional information: Scientific methods are crucial for evidence-based policymaking.
Historical Development of the Modern State
Tilly’s argument: ‘War Making as Organized Crime’ highlights how states emerged through the process of war, taxation, and the establishment of monopolies on violence.
Sovereignty
The authority of a state to govern itself without external interference.
Bureaucracy
The administrative system governing any large institution, particularly the government.
Civil Society
Civil society refers to the sphere of voluntary associations and organizations that exist independently from the state.
Public Sphere
The public sphere is where individuals can come together to discuss and identify societal problems, as conceptualized by Jürgen Habermas.
Political Socialization
The process by which individuals develop their political beliefs and values.
Factors Influencing Political Socialization
Family: The primary agent of socialization that shapes initial political views.
Socioeconomic Factors in Political Participation
Education, income, and social status play significant roles in determining levels of political participation. Higher education often correlates with increased political engagement.
Demographics in Political Participation
Age, race, gender, and ethnicity can influence voting patterns and levels of participation.
Barriers to Political Participation
Discuss issues such as voter suppression, disenfranchisement, and apathy, along with facilitators like grassroots organizing and civic education programs.
Functions of Government
Analyze the core functions of government, including maintaining order, providing public services, and protecting individual liberties.
Governance
The process through which government decisions are made and implemented. Discuss theories of governance, such as participatory governance and new public management.
Accountability in Government
Explore mechanisms for ensuring government accountability, including checks and balances, transparency measures, and civil society oversight.
Governance
The process through which government decisions are made and implemented. Discuss theories of governance, such as participatory governance and new public management.
Foucault’s concept of power and surveillance – Analyze how power dynamics shape governmental authority and citizen rights.
Accountability
Explore mechanisms for ensuring government accountability, including checks and balances, transparency measures, and civil society oversight.
Bureaucracies
Bureaucracies are hierarchical organizations that implement government policies. They provide structure and order in the administration of public services.
Analyze case studies on the role of bureaucracies in the U.S. government, focusing on specific agencies and their impact on policy implementation.
Political Ideologies - Liberalism
Emphasizes individual rights, civil liberties, and limited government intervention in personal lives.
Political Ideologies - Conservatism
Focuses on tradition, social stability, and a cautious approach to change; often advocates for free markets and limited government in economic affairs.
Political Ideologies - Progressivism
Advocates for social reform, addressing inequalities, and promoting government action to improve societal conditions.
Political Ideologies - Populism
Emphasizes the rights and power of the ‘common people’ in contrast to the elite; can be found on both the left and right of the political spectrum.
Pew Research Center’s political typology – Analyze how these ideologies manifest in contemporary American politics and their implications for policy-making.
Globalization
The process of increased interconnectedness among countries, driven by trade, investment, technology, and culture.
Selected chapters from Lechner and Boli – Discuss the implications of globalization for state sovereignty and economic policy.
