Deck 1: Comparative Political Analysis: An Introduction

Question 1

Politics can be characterized as

A) the patterns of interactions between and among individuals and groups in a society.
B) voting and elections, and the campaigns that are involved in those elections.
C) the average level of education in a society.
D) an analysis of why people become unemployed in a depressed economy.

Answer 1

the patterns of interactions between and among individuals and groups in a society.

Question 2

Area studies involves

A) an examination of the amount of room that individuals have to live in.
B) an examination of regional defense treaties in the international arena.
C) an examination of politics within a specific geographic setting.
D) an examination of the space under a curve in a specific mathematical analysis.

Answer 2

an examination of politics within a specific geographic setting.

Question 3

Normative inquiry

A) is based upon values, philosophies, or "shoulds."
B) is based upon data and empirical observation in politics.
C) is based upon the number of individuals voting in a given election.
D) is based upon when in a nation's history an event takes place.

Answer 3

is based upon values, philosophies, or "shoulds."

Question 4

Empirical inquiry

A) is based upon values, philosophies, or "shoulds."
B) involves data and relies on measurement and observation.
C) is based upon the number of individuals voting in a given election.
D) is based upon when in a nation's history an event takes place.

Question 5

The case study method of inquiry

A) involves measurement and observation with sophisticated mathematical analysisof data.
B) involves police investigation of major social patterns of crime
C) involves the manipulation of variables, something that is difficult to do in real life.
D) involves the intensive study of individual political cases or situations.

Question 6

The statistical method

A) involves the intensive study of individual political cases or situations.
B) involves the manipulation of variables, something that is difficult to do in real life.
C) involves measurement and observation with sophisticated mathematical analysis ofdata.
D) involves police investigation of major social patterns of crime

Question 7

The experimental method of inquiry in social science involves

A) scientists in laboratories.
B) the intensive study of individual political cases or situations.
C) a philosophical inquiry into values.
D) the manipulation of variables, something that is difficult to do in real life.

Question 8

The most similar systems research design

A) takes neighboring political states and compares their similarities.
B) takes two essentially similar cases and studies their differences.
C) takes numerous similar nations and catalogues their similarities.
D) takes two essentially different cases and studies their similarities.

Question 9

A nation can be defined as

A) a group of people who pay taxes to the same government.
B) a group of people who agree to support a given candidate for elective office.
C) a group of people with nothing in common but who live in close proximity to eachother.
D) a group of people with shared characteristics such as a shared language, history, orculture.

Question 10

A state is

A) an explicitly political entity, created and alterable by men and women, based uponaccepted boundaries.
B) a unit on a map that dates back at least to the 1800's.
C) a group of people with shared language or cultural characteristics.
D) all of the above.

Question 11

The concept of "sovereignty" refers to

A) political power: having the ability to make final decisions regarding policy.
B) a state's being able to collect taxes.
C) an individual's right to vote for and serve in elective office.
D) relations between two different independent nations.

Question 12

The idea of "legitimacy" suggests that

A) one nation is afraid that its neighbor may attack it.
B) citizens of a state feel that they owe allegiance to a government.
C) individuals can run for office in open elections in which others can vote.
D) the political system has three branches of government: legislative, judicial, andexecutive.

Question 13

A part of the border between the United States and Mexico

A) runs through southern Utah.
B) involves a mountain range.
C) is regularly re-approved by popular vote.
D) is the Rio Grande River.

Question 14

A case study of a nationalist movement within an established nation can be found in:

A) Arizona
B) Sonora
C) Québec
D) Vermont

Question 15

The concept of "levels of analysis" deals with

A) the political system having three branches of government: legislative, judicial, andexecutive.
B) types of observations and measurements we use and the types of conclusions that wecan draw from those observations and measurements.
C) an explicitly political entity, created and alterable by men and women, based uponaccepted boundaries.
D) the practice of assuming that because political institutions or relationships work oneway in stable Western democracies they must work the same way in all politicalsystems.

Question 16

Individual level data can be illustrated by

A) the proportion of votes that a given political party receives.
B) the average number of years of education of citizens in a nation.
C) someone's height.
D) the number of infant deaths per capita in a nation.

Question 17

Ecological or Aggregate level data can be illustrated by

A) the relationship between an individual and the environment.
B) statistical analysis of someone's economic earning power.
C) the average number of years of education of citizens in a nation.
D) someone's height.

Question 18

Political ethnocentrism refers to

A) the practice of assuming that because political institutions or relationships work oneway in stable Western democracies they must work the same way in all politicalsystems.
B) sets of political objects or concepts that are theoretically related to each other in ananalytic way.
C) one political group evolving into a powerful force in a society.
D) ethnic minorities suffering from repression by other groups in the political system.

Question 19

The concept of the political system refers to

A) how elections take place within a nation-state.
B) the residency requirement that permits some individuals to vote in a nation whileothers cannot vote.
C) linkages between voters and their representatives.
D) sets of political objects or concepts that are theoretically related to each other in ananalytic way.

Question 20

Political systems can be said to be composed of numerous

A) super-systems.
B) multilateral groups.
C) subsystems.
D) lakes and rivers.

Question 21

A political input can be illustrated by

A) political demands.
B) a law passed by a national legislature.
C) the way that decisions are made in a polity.
D) none of the above

Question 22

Political culture

A) involves the interaction of political institutions and patterns of behavior
B) sets of political objects or concepts that are theoretically related to each other in ananalytic way
C) the patterns of interactions between and among individuals and groups in a society
D) involves the cognitions, feelings, and evaluations of the citizens of a nation

Question 23

Globalization refers to

A) the constant increase in the temperature of the polar ice pack
B) the phenomenon of increasingly common and important linkages between and amongnations.
C) sets of political objects or concepts that are theoretically related to each other in ananalytic way.
D) environmental stewardship by those concerned with Earth's resources.

Question 24

Multi-national corporations can be defined as

A) either political institutions or political behavior.
B) corporations with components in more than one nation.
C) the interaction of political institutions and their patterns of behavior.
D) linkages between voters and their representatives.

Question 25

The term "political structure" can refer to

A) either political institutions or political behavior.
B) corporations with components in more than one nation.
C) policies advocated by interest groups.
D) the interaction of political institutions and patterns of behavior.

Question 26

Aristotle saw the key idea of politics involving rule, or authority.

Question 27

Area studies always involves explicit comparison in political analysis.

Question 28

A normative inquiry might focus on justice, equality, or "the good society."

Question 29

Empirical inquiry might include interviewing policymakers and asking their opinions.

Question 30

The statistical method might include public opinion polls and survey research data.

Question 31

A nation can be defined as a group of people who pay taxes to the same government.

Question 32

A state is dependent upon other political systems to make policy.

Question 33

Many Canadian citizens today who live in the Province of Québec argue that it is a French Canadian nation that should be given independence.

Question 34

The concept of levels of analysis deals with the political system having three branches of government: legislative, judicial, and executive.

Question 35

Ecological or Aggregate level data would likely not include individual public opinion.

Question 36

Political ethnocentrism can refer to ethnic minorities suffering from repression by other groups in the political system.

Question 37

An example of an "analytic system" would be a stereo system, where the components are
physically connected to each other.

Question 38

Globalization refers to the constant increase in the temperature of the polar ice pack.

Question 39

Political culture includes a sense of national identity, attitudes about governmental
performance, and knowledge and attitudes about the political decision-making process.

Question 40

Multi-national corporations are most concerned about their economic profitability, not the quality of living of people in the developing world.

Question 41

The political system is a key concept in political science. What is a political system? What are its components? What is the value of using the system as a focus for study?

Question 42

What are the key differences between a comparative approach to the study of politics and an area studies approach to the study of politics?

Question 43

Two kinds of inquiry are normative and empirical inquiry. What are the differences in approach and perspective of these two types of inquiry?

Question 44

What are the differences between analytic and concrete systems in comparative political analysis? Give an example of each.

Question 45

This text uses an institutional approach to comparative politics. How does the institutional approach differ from other approaches? What are its strengths?