Structure And Agency In Political Analysis

Question 1

Explanations: Structural/Agential Factors

Question 2

Structure

Answer 2

Larger contexts such as political and social institutions, practices, routines,, constitutional conventions
- they are perceived as creating regularities oh behaviour and outcomes
- the greater one gives emphasis to structure, the greater is the assumption of predicting a political behaviour

Question 3

Socio-economic Context

Answer 3

Economic crisis, social tensions among sectors of society (race, class and gender), and governing tensions

Question 4

Cultural Context

Answer 4

Traditions, values, practices, beliefs, system of meanings and symbols among a given population

Question 5

Historical context

Answer 5

Key historical factors (such as defeat of a war, revolution, or major dramatic events) is seen as a key factor to explain an events

Question 6

Agency

Answer 6

free will, autonomy, a conscious deliberate action of individual towards an objective of political transformation
- emphasis on the character, or direct action of an individual or a group
- key aspects:
- reflexivity: ability to reflect upon consequence of possible actions to be taken
- rationality: ability to choose a mode of conduct to achieve given set of objectives
- Motivations: emotional attachment to one’s conduct in the attempt to achieve objectives

Question 7

Examples

Answer 7

• Globalization places pressure on western states to rolls back their welfare provisions (medical care, pension, unemployment insurance, etc.)
• By reducing rates of corporate taxes to attract foreign investors, the government has reduced its capacity to generate revenue to finance welfare provision
• Populist leaders are archiving power due to the 2007 economic crisis
• The only reason why Russia invaded Ukraine is because of its leader Putin

Question 8

Inter-relation between structure and agency

Answer 8

• Individuals are situated within a structured context, which sets possibilities and limitations on them
• Structures only set conditions for possible outcomes, but do not determine any particular outcome. The outcome is realized by the individual(s), who size an opportunity to push their objectives and rebuild new structures
• Agents can then influence the development of structures through their actions