Introduction to Politics: Understanding Human Nature

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What did Aristotle regard politics as?

a monologue

a means to achieve personal gain

the 'master science' (correct)

the 'dirty' word

Why is it problematic to clarify the meaning of politics?

due to the lack of scholars in the field

due to intellectual and ideological disagreements (correct)

due to the simplicity of the concept

due to the lack of interest in the subject

What is politics often seen as?

a 'dirty' word (correct)

a method of peaceful resolution

a means to achieve personal gain

a solution to all problems

What is a characteristic of politics, according to Aristotle?

a social activity Signup and view all the answers

Why is it challenging to approach the study of politics in an impartial way?

because students and teachers are biased Signup and view all the answers

What do people disagree about, according to the text?

how to live, who should get what, and how power and resources should be distributed Signup and view all the answers

What is traditionally referred to as the division between the state and civil society?

Public and private spheres Signup and view all the answers

What is funded at the public's expense through taxation?

Institutions of the state Signup and view all the answers

What is historically the preserve of men in the public sphere of life?

Politics, work, art and literature Signup and view all the answers

What do radical feminists argue is excluded from political analysis?

The processes of male domination and female subordination Signup and view all the answers

What is the approach that argues politics does not, and should not, infringe on personal affairs and institutions?

Restricted view of politics Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the way in which decisions are made?

Politics as compromise and consensus Signup and view all the answers

What is the main goal of the descriptive approach in political analysis?

To explain and analyze political phenomena Signup and view all the answers

Why did behavioralism become popular in the 1950s and 1960s?

Because it provided objective and quantifiable data Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of the behavioralism approach?

It constrains the scope of political analysis Signup and view all the answers

What concept is often discarded in behavioralism?

Liberty Signup and view all the answers

What is another name for rational-choice theory?

Formal political theory Signup and view all the answers

What is game theory used to explore?

Problems of conflict and collaboration Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of politics according to Bernard Crick's definition?

Conciliating differing interests within a given unit of rule Signup and view all the answers

What is the key to politics according to the view of politics as a way to resolve conflict through compromise and negotiation?

A wide dispersal of power Signup and view all the answers

What is the criticism of the view of politics as a way to resolve conflict through compromise and negotiation?

It is biased towards Western pluralist democracies Signup and view all the answers

According to Adrian Leftwich, where is politics at work?

In all collective social activity, formal and informal, public and private Signup and view all the answers

What is the title of Harold Lasswell's book that reflects the idea of politics as power?

Politics: Who Gets What, When, How Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of politics as a way to resolve conflict through compromise and negotiation?

Civilized and civilizing Signup and view all the answers

What is a major criticism of one approach to political science?

Ignoring social and historical factors Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between a model and a theory?

A model is a representation, while a theory is an explanation Signup and view all the answers

What do concepts, models, and theories have in common?

They are all used for political analysis Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a concept in political science?

Power Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a level of conceptual analysis?

Microbiology Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of virtually all conceptual devices, theories, and models?

They contain hidden values or implicit assumptions Signup and view all the answers