Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are the three core features that define a state?
What are the three core features that define a state?
Territory, sovereignty, and a permanent population.
According to the constitutional approach, why do states exist?
According to the constitutional approach, why do states exist?
States arise from a social contract where citizens relinquish certain freedoms for protection.
What does the monopoly on legitimate use of force signify in a state?
What does the monopoly on legitimate use of force signify in a state?
It signifies that the state has the exclusive right to use force, as accepted by its people.
Describe the transformation pattern in the development of states.
Describe the transformation pattern in the development of states.
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How does the ethical and moral approach view the role of the state?
How does the ethical and moral approach view the role of the state?
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What is the optimistic view of human nature as proposed by socialism, and how does it differ from the pessimistic view?
What is the optimistic view of human nature as proposed by socialism, and how does it differ from the pessimistic view?
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Explain the concept of subsidiarity in Christian democracy and its significance for local governance.
Explain the concept of subsidiarity in Christian democracy and its significance for local governance.
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Identify the two forms of nationalism and explain their fundamental differences.
Identify the two forms of nationalism and explain their fundamental differences.
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In what way does green political thought challenge traditional economic perspectives?
In what way does green political thought challenge traditional economic perspectives?
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What is the essence of populism, and how does it frame the relationship between 'the people' and 'the elite'?
What is the essence of populism, and how does it frame the relationship between 'the people' and 'the elite'?
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Study Notes
Week 1 - General Introduction
- Defining politics is surprisingly difficult; it's a contested concept.
- Two broad approaches to defining politics:
- Politics as an arena: Behavior becomes political based on the location where it takes place.
- Politics as a process: Behavior exhibiting distinctive characteristics across different social contexts.
- Four views on politics:
- Politics as the art of government (arena), focusing on state governance.
- Politics as public affairs (arena), expanding the scope to public life/sphere.
- Politics as a means to compromise and consensus, a democratic negotiation process.
- Politics as a struggle over power, control over resources and decision-making.
- Political science: A systematic scientific study of politics, utilizing various approaches and tools.
Week 2 - Nation States
- Central questions about states: What is a state, What are its key features, Why do we have them?, Where did they originate and evolve?, Is it still relevant to talk about states in a globalized world?
- What is a state?: A way of organizing governance; one form among others (tribes, princedoms).
- Core characteristics of states: Political by nature; power and a sense of community are essential; they possess symbols like flags, anthems, and currencies; have varied characteristics according to size, power, and recognition.
- Key features of states: Territory (control geographic areas and borders), Sovereignty (holds supreme authority within its territory, recognized by other states), People (a relatively permanent population, the citizens).
- Additional features of states: Monopoly on the legitimate use of force, Rule of Law.
- Why do we have states?: Constitutional, Pluralist approaches.
Week 3 - Democracy
- Central questions on democracy: What makes a democracy?, What forms does democracy take?, What are the requisites for sustainable democracy?, Is there a global spread of democracy?, What are the contemporary challenges to democracy?
- Defining democracy: A political system where government is based on a fair and open mandate from all qualified citizens. Key elements include a form of self-governance, fair mandates, and inclusion of qualified citizens.
- Forms of democracy: Direct vs. Representative. Liberal vs. Illiberal (lack of civil liberties).
- Requisites for sustainable democracy: Modernization; political institutions; political culture.
Week 4 - Political Ideologies
- Central topics include: the nature of ideology, key ideologies (liberalism, conservatism, Christian Democracy, Socialism) minor ideologies (nationalism, green political thought, populism), and the potential "end of ideology".
- Defining ideology: a comprehensive set of ideas, beliefs, and values that are systematic, abstract, and combine empirical and normative claims.
- Major ideologies: Liberalism (individual liberty, limited state power, market economy), Conservatism (tradition, organic society, hierarchy, slow progress), Christian Democracy (Emphasis on natural law, community), Socialism (equality, state intervention, collective ownership), Nationalism (shared identity, national self-determination).
- Minor ideologies: Green political thought (environmental sustainability), Populism (people vs. elites).
Week 5 - Public Policy & Bureaucracies
- Guiding questions include: What is public policy?, How are policies made?, What's the function of bureaucracies and how are they organized?, What's the difference between politicians and bureaucrats?, What is the power of bureaucrats and how can that be controlled?
- Defining public policy: Outcomes of political decision-making intended to guide and direct public, social, and economic life.
- Types of policy: Regulative, distributive, redistributive, constitutive.
- The Policy Cycle: Initiation (agenda setting), Formulation, Adoption, Implementation, Evaluation.
Week 6 - Political Behaviour, Pressure Groups & Social Movements
- Central topics include what political behaviour is, what the forms it takes, and what the relationships are between pressure groups, social movements and political parties.
- Defining political behavior: Activities through which citizens signals preferences, make demands, and exert pressure on decision-makers to fulfill their requests.
- Forms of political behavior: Conventional (voting, campaigns, contacting officials, political discussions) and Unconventional (protests, strikes, petitions, boycotts, civil disobedience).
- Pressure groups and social movements: Influence government policy by conveying interests, often through lobbying or activism.
Week 7 - Political Parties & Party Government
- Central topics include what a political party is, how parties are organised, common types of parties, and their impact/role in a democratic setting.
- Defining political party: An organization of people holding similar beliefs and political views, seeking political power to implement policies through formal organization including statutes, membership, and ideological programs.
- Types of party systems: One-party, Dominant-party, two-party, multi-party system, and how they differ.
- Party families: Commonly shared ideologies, e.g. socialist, social democratic, Christian democratic, liberal, conservative, nationalist.
- How do parties organize? Caucus, mass, catch-all, cartel parties.
Week 8 - Exam Training Session
- Exam information (date, format, focus, etiquette).
Week 9 - Voters & Elections
- Central topics include who votes, why they vote, voting systems, and systems' impacts.
- Explaining vote choice: Sociological(social groups and cleavages) and Psychological(Party Identification), and Rational choice modeling (benefit calculation).
- Types of voting systems: Plurality/majority, proportional representation.
Week 10 - Legislatures & Executives
- Central topics include the separation of powers, organizations of legislatures and executives and relationships between them.
- Goal of separation of powers in government: Prevention of power concentration and establishment of a balance (checks and balances).
- Types of executive systems: Presidential (separate branches), Parliamentary (executive is accountable to the legislature), Semi-presidential (hybrid).
- Roles of legislatures and executives: Formulating and implementing public policies.
Week 11 - Multi-Level Government & Recap Session
- Central topic: Multi-level governance and its different forms: unitary (centralized power); federal (shared power); confederation (loose association of states).
- Key concepts include: Territory, Sovereignty, Population.
- Challenges to state power: From above(international forces); from below(autonomous regions/ local groups).
- Role of local governments (essential services provision) and the balance between democracy and efficiency.
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Description
This quiz covers essential concepts in political science, including the core features of a state, approaches to governance, and ideologies such as socialism and nationalism. It also explores the implications of green political thought and populism in contemporary society. Test your understanding of these critical themes in political theory and practice.
