Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the definition of power?
What is the definition of power?
What is authority?
What is authority?
Government's legitimate use of power.
What is a state?
What is a state?
A political system that rules over a territory.
What is a nation-state?
What is a nation-state?
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What does sovereignty mean?
What does sovereignty mean?
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Who are citizens?
Who are citizens?
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What is nationalism?
What is nationalism?
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What does local nationalism refer to?
What does local nationalism refer to?
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What are civil rights?
What are civil rights?
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What are political rights?
What are political rights?
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What are social rights?
What are social rights?
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What is a welfare state?
What is a welfare state?
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What is democracy?
What is democracy?
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What is direct democracy?
What is direct democracy?
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What is participatory democracy?
What is participatory democracy?
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What are constitutional monarchs?
What are constitutional monarchs?
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What are liberal democracies?
What are liberal democracies?
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What is an interest group?
What is an interest group?
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What is democratic elitism?
What is democratic elitism?
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What does power elite refer to?
What does power elite refer to?
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What is state overload?
What is state overload?
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What is a legitimation crisis?
What is a legitimation crisis?
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What is revolution?
What is revolution?
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What are social movements?
What are social movements?
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What does historicity mean?
What does historicity mean?
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What is the field of action?
What is the field of action?
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What is a new social movement?
What is a new social movement?
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What is civil society?
What is civil society?
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What does ethnie refer to?
What does ethnie refer to?
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What does nations without states mean?
What does nations without states mean?
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Study Notes
Power and Authority
- Power refers to the ability of individuals to pursue their interests and affects relationships among individuals.
- Authority is defined as the legitimate use of power by governments.
Political Entities
- The state is a political system that governs a specific territory.
- A nation-state has sovereign power in a defined area, with a population that identifies as a cohesive national group.
Sovereignty and Citizenship
- Sovereignty denotes the undisputed political control of a state over its territory.
- Citizens are members of a political community with associated rights and duties.
Nationalism
- Nationalism encompasses beliefs and symbols that express identification with a national community.
- Local nationalism refers to the desire for political autonomy among communities sharing a cultural identity.
Rights and Welfare
- Civil rights are legal rights held by citizens within a national community.
- Political rights pertain to citizens' participation in governance.
- Social rights are those dedicated to social welfare for all citizens.
- A welfare state refers to a political system that provides welfare benefits to its citizens.
Democracy
- Democracy allows citizens to participate in political decisions or elect representatives.
- Direct democracy enables citizens to vote directly on laws and policies.
- Participatory democracy encourages collective decision-making among all group members.
Governance Structures
- Constitutional monarchs act as figureheads while real political power lies with elected leaders.
- Liberal democracies are founded on parliamentary institutions and a free-market economy.
Interest Groups and Democratic Participation
- Interest groups are organized entities that advocate for specific causes through political lobbying.
- Democratic elitism argues that in large democracies, public participation is limited to electing political leaders.
Political Power Dynamics
- The power elite refers to a small group of individuals with concentrated power in society, as defined by C. Wright Mills.
- State overload theorizes that modern states may become overwhelmed by complex administrative tasks.
- A legitimation crisis occurs when a political order fails to sufficiently engage citizens in governance.
Social Change and Movements
- Revolutions involve mass mobilization that overthrows existing regimes, often using violence.
- Social movements are large groups advocating for or against social change, typically in conflict with established organizations.
- Historicity involves leveraging historical understanding to influence present and future societal changes.
- The field of action is where social movements interact with organizations, guided by member perspectives.
Contemporary Social Movements
- New social movements have emerged since the 1960s, focusing on social and economic issues, promoting new ways of thinking and acting.
- Civil society is the sphere of activity located between the state and the market, including families and educational institutions.
Ethnicity and Nations
- Ethnie describes groups sharing ideas of common ancestry and cultural identity connected to a homeland.
- Nations without states refer to groups that seek sovereignty but do not have political authority over their claimed territories.
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Description
Test your understanding of key concepts in sociology with these flashcards from Chapter 13. Explore important terms such as power, authority, state, and nation-state to deepen your grasp of political systems and human relationships.