Quiz 3 Flashcards
Civil society
Set of organizations in civic life outside the state through which citizens associate, articulate, and advance their interests; values of trust, cooperation and tolerance building social capital
Interest groups
Organizations that make demands in the political sphere on behalf of their constituents and members
Social capital
Features of social organization such as networks, norms, and social trust that facilitate coordination and cooperation for mutual benefit
Civil society in pluralist and corporatist systems
Pluralist: less state involvement, nonhierarchical characteristics, multiple groups competing
Corporatist: more state involvement, hierarchical characteristics, fewer groups with limited competition
Civil society and democratization
Conducive conditions, organization/mobilization, helps overcome collective action problem, social capital
Civil society and democratic transition
Weak civil society can hinder consolidation
Civil society and quality of democracy
Stimulates civic and political participation, provides alternate channels for interest representation, develops democratic attitudes, promotes socioeconomic development
Contention
The pursuit of collective goods largely outside of formal political institutions
Revolutions
Efforts to dramatically transform society and its political and/or social structures
Social movement
Ongoing, organized and sustained collective action oriented toward a goal of social change
Social networks
Structures of social ties and connections among individuals
Social movement organizations
Organizations created to help maintain and lead social movement activity over time
Iron law of oligarchy
Organizational leadership necessarily creates its own interest
Insurgencies
Contention with formalized military conflict
Civil war
Sustained military conflict between domestic actors
Terrorism
Violence toward non military targets
Everyday resistance
Efforts to resist or obstruct authority that are not clearly organized over time
Social revolutions
Changes social and political structures
Political revolutions
Alter political institutions rather than social and economic structures
Relative deprivation and social disequilibrium theory of contention
Major changes cause social strain or conflict increased demand for revolution
Resource mobilization and political opportunities theory of contention
State breakdown creates political opportunity for revolution; organizational resources matter
Rational choice theory of contention
Rationality of joining a revolution depends upon upping individual benefits and lowering risk
Framing theory of contention
Ability to frame revolution in a meaningful way shapes success
Identity
Social label that locates an individual or group in society
National identity
An identity that locates ones social position in relation to national membership
Nationalism
The view that the world is and should be divided into nations that are sovereign and egalitarian
Origins of nationalism: three theories
Primordialism: primitive groups formed nations
Perennialism: in the middle
Modernism: emerged in Europe 17th/18th c
Civic nationalism
“Western”; depends on state membership
Ethnic nationalism
“Eastern”; depends on ancestry
Individualistic nationalism
Nations are associations of individuals; always civic not ethnic
Collectivistic nationalism
Nations have collective agency; will beyond that of individuals; can be civic or ethnic
Race
Idea that human beings are divided into different groups; often thought of biological categories and usually based on skin color
Racial formation
Creation of races
Racialization
Process through which race becomes a significant issue
Ethnicity
Quality that one has by identifying with or being a member of an ethnic group
Ethnic group
A group that identifies itself as having strong cultural commonality and a shared sense of long run history
Gender
Culturally constructed roles or identities one has by virtue of being considered male or female
Empowerment
The process to increase the social, political, or economic capabilities of an individual or group
Primordial bonds theory of nationalism
Evolution encourages the development of such identities: those who developed collective identities can survive and outcompete those who did not
Structural forces theory of nationalism
Social structures give rise to nationalism
Political institutions theory of nationalism
State is a leading political institution that created nations
Cultural construction theory of nationalism
Elites facing status inconsistency use the idea of nation as they pursue their interests
Primordial bounds theory of national conflict
Groups that feel their identity is under threat are likely sources of conflict
Cultural boundaries theory of national conflict
Types of boundaries between groups contribute to likelihood of conflict
Material interests theory of national conflict
Ethno-national identity is used as an instrument for purposes like gaining power and/or accessing resources
Rational calculation theory of national conflict
Rational choice of actors explains prescience or absence of conflict
Social movement mobilization theory of representation
Social movements are often the force that brings about social change, thus transforming public attitudes about a group
Institutional methods for representation
reserved seat system, candidate quota system
Political culture
A set of beliefs or a meaning system that people hold about politics and related matters
Modernity
Society that typically experiences economic development (industrialization) and a relatively strong modern state and is associated with a particular set of socio-cultural norms, attitudes, and practices
Modermization
Process through which a state becomes more modern
Ideology
Highly organized systems of ideas about politics
Liberalism
Emphasizes individual freedoms, representatives, democracy, and the market economy
Fascism
Authoritarian ideology favoring militarism and right wing nationalism
Socialism
Emphasizes economic equality to be pursued through state action
Functions of religion
Foster social integration, give a sense of order, motivate collective action, feature transcendent force of good
Secularization
Process through which societies become less religious, often as they become more modern; differentiation from the state
Religious states
Religion is a key part of official politics
Lay states
Establish a formal separation of religion and public life
Denominationalism
System that supports religious pluralism and voluntary participation in denominations
Modernization theory of Secularization
Less existential insecurity leads to less need for religion
Religious economics theory of Secularization
Demand for religion is constant, religiosity depends on market–more competitive market increases religiosity
Institutional theories of Secularization
More complex societies leads to more varied institutions
