Public Policy and Political Power Flashcards
what is mobilization?
The process by which people or groups are motivated to take action—lobbying, protest, or any other form of expression—in response to an issue or problem
What is public interest?
The assumed broader desires and needs of the public, in whose name policy is made. The public interest is hard to define, but is something to which all policy advocates appeal
what is interest group?
A collection of people or organizations that unite to advance their desired political outcomes in government and society. There are many different ways to organize these groups by types of interest (public/private, institutional, economic, and so on).
Peak Association or Peak Organizations
The largest and most influential groups in a policy domain. These tend to be the groups that lead other like- minded groups in advocacy coalitions. The American Medical Association and the National Rifle Association are examples of peak organizations
what is Social Movement?
A broad-based group of people that come together to press for political or policy goals. A social movement is broader than an interest, often encompassing many groups and otherwise politically unorganized people. Recent social movements include the civil rights movement and the women’s rights movement.
Institutional Interest Group
A group of people, usually not formally constituted, whose members are part of the same institution or organization. Students at a university are an example of such a group. Contrast with a membership interest group.
what is lobbying?
The term applied to the organized and ongoing process of persuading the legislative or executive branches to enact policies that promote an individual’s or group’s interest. The term has taken on a nega- tive connotation.
Venue Shopping
A term used by Frank Baumgart- ner and Bryan Jones to describe how groups choose which branch or agency of government to lobby or persuade; they will choose the venue where they believe their concerns will receive a sympathetic hearing.
Astrotruf group
An interest group that appears to have been formed by concerned citizens (that is, from the “grass roots”), but is actually sponsored by a larger interest such as a corporation or labor union
Muckrakers
The investigative journalists of the early twentieth century, whose work exposed problems such as tainted food, dangerous working conditions, and bogus medicines. The term was coined by Theodore Roosevelt.
Iron Triangle
A particular style of subgovernment in which there are mutually reinforcing relationships between a regulated interest, the agency charged with regulation, and the congressional subcommittee charged with policy making in that issue area. This way of characterizing policy-making relationships has largely given way to more sophisticated subgovernment concepts, such as issue networks
Iogrolling
The legislative practice of trading commitments to vote for members’ preferred policies.
what are unofficial actors?
These actors participate in policymaking but are not explicitly outlined in the Constitution, unlike official actors like legislators or judges. * First Amendment Rights: Freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition empower these actors to influence policy.
* Importance: Despite criticism or limited official roles, these actors are vital for a functioning democracy.
what are unofficial actors?
individual citizens, interests groups, social movements, lobbying, policy communities and networks, think tanks and research organizations, social media.
what is agenda?
Refers to the collection of issues, problems, and solutions being actively considered by the public, media, or institutions. It encompasses everything from specific policy proposals to broad societal concerns.
