Textbook Glossary Vocab

Question 1

A Just Russia

Answer 1

A small party in the Russian Duma with a social-democratic orientation.

(Russia)

Question 2

Abacha, Sani

Answer 2

Oppressive Nigerian military dictator from 1993 to 1998 who came to power in a military coup

(Nigeria)

Question 3

Abstract Review

Answer 3

Judicial review that allows the consitutional court to rule on questions that do not arise from actual legal disputes.

Question 4

Ahmadinejad, Mahmoud

Answer 4

President of Iran from 2005 to 2013.

(Iran)

Question 5

All Progressives Congress (APC)

Answer 5

Opposition political party formed in 2013 by merger of largest opposition parties and defections from the ruling People’s Democratic Party.

(Nigeria)

Question 6

American Revolution

Answer 6

The conflict between Britain and the American colonists that resulted in U.S. independence (1775-83)

(United Kingdom)

Question 7

Anarchism

Answer 7

A political ideology that stresses the elimintion of the state and private property as a way to achieve both freedom and equality for all.

Question 8

Anticorruption Campaign

Answer 8

Xi Jingping’s sweeping campaign against graft and other forms of corruption, launched in 2012 and used both to tackled government malfeasance at all levels and eliminate political rivals.

(China)

Question 9

Area Studies

Answer 9

A regional focus when studying political science, rather than studying parts of the world where similar variables are clustered.

Question 10

Articles of Confederation

Answer 10

The weak confederal regime that governed the colonies after 1781; it was replaced by the U.S. Consitution in 1788.

Question 11

Ashura

Answer 11

The most important Shia religious holiday, commemorating the death of Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Muhammed.

Question 12

Assembly of Experts

Answer 12

Elected body that chooses the supreme leader.

(Iran)

Question 13

Asymmetic Federalism

Answer 13

A system in which power is divided unevenly among regional bodies – for example, some regions are given greater power over taxation or language rights than others, a more likely outcome in a country with significant ethnic divisions.

Question 14

Authoritarianism

Answer 14

A political system in which a small group of individuals exercises power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to the public.

Question 15

Autonomy

Answer 15

The ability of the state to wield its power independently of the public or international actors.

Question 16

Ayatollah

Answer 16

In Shiite Islam, a title in the religious hierarchy achieved by scholars who have demonstrated highly advanced knowledge of Islamic law and religion.

(Iran)

Question 17

Azinkwe, Benjamin Nnamdi

Answer 17

Nigerian nationalist and independent Nigeria’s first head of state (1960-66)

(Nigeria)

Question 18

Babangida, Ibrahim

Answer 18

Military ruler of Nigeria from 1985 to 1993 who sought to establish the failed Third Republic.

(Nigeria)

Question 19

Base

Answer 19

The economic system of a society; made up of technology (the means of production) and class relations between people (the relations of production).

Question 20

Basij

Answer 20

“People’s militia,” which serves as a public morals police.

(Iran)

Question 21

Behavioral Revolution

Answer 21

A movement within political science during the 1950s and 1960s to develop general theories about individual political behavior that could be applied across all countries.

Question 22

Beijing Consensus

Answer 22

Nonmercantilist model of state-led capitalist development adopted by China and proposed as an alternative to the Western neoliberal model known as the Washington Consensus.

(China)