Session 2

Question 1

theory

Answer 1

abstract/generalized approach to explaining/understanding phenomenon(a) supported by a body of evidence

Question 2

behaviouralism

Answer 2

politics study approach that focuses on people’s behaviours over institutions (formal ones)

Question 3

5 approaches to studying politics and government

Answer 3

1. institutionalism: how institutions shape decisions and interests, position is more important than person
2. rational choice: individuals maximize beneftis & minimize costs. CA problems
3. structuralism: relationships among groups and networks within larger systems to explain phenomenons
4. cultural: looks at influence of culture on politics/government
5. interpretive: politics is formed by the ideas we have about it. social constructs -> we can’t take actor’s goals and defnition of situation for granted + construct shapes our interests, goals, allies, enemies

Question 4

institutionalization

Answer 4

process of organizations building history, memory, stability, and permanence

Question 5

empirical approach

Answer 5

conclusions/inferences based on facts, experience, observatino rather than logic & theory. Describes.

Question 6

normative approach

Answer 6

judgements/prescriptions about what ought to be done. Evaluates.

Question 7

positive approach

Answer 7

describes how things are

Question 8

orientalism

Answer 8

habit of people in West to describe East in stereotypical/patronizing ways in terms of people, culture, political systems

Question 9

culture

Answer 9

values, beliefs, habits, attitudes, norms of a society

Question 10

comparative politics methods

Answer 10

1. experimental
2. large-N comparative analysis (quantitative)
3. small-N comparative analysis (qualitative)