Leonard Montery PS 220 Survey of Comparative Politics Exam 2 DIRECTIONS: This is a closed book, closed note exam. You should consult nothing apart from your own brain while completing this exam. You have 2 consecutive hours to complete the exam from the time you open the document. (You may not start the exam and return to it later; it must be completed in one sitting.) Please type your answers in the spaces below. When you are finished, please submit an electronic copy via the Moodle course website, and bring a printed copy to class. Part 1: Key Terms (15 points each; 60 points total) Define and explain the significance of each the following key terms. For each term, you should be able to: (a) correctly and fully define the term; (b) contextualize it in relation to important issues, debates and/or other key terms; (c) where applicable, provide examples to illustrate the concept. Shock therapy (a) Shock therapy, at its core, was privatization. Yeltsin instituted this plan of action as a way to revitalize and change the Russian economy. Shock therapy was not a simple course of action. It drew comparisons to “cutting off a cat’s tail” or “removing a bandage” both of which is far better off being done quickly. It was supposed to invigorate the people and warm them up to democratization while also creating a free market opposed to the planned economy. Many state owned industries were also sold for cheap in order help foster the idea of “shocking” the economy back to life.
What influence have the rationalist, structuralist and culturalist theoretical approaches had on the study of comparative politics?
e.g.: If person A has political power over B, then A is able to motivate, inspire, incite,
Define the following terms. Your definitions must be in your own words; do not copy them from the textbook.
Comparative Analysis of Josie Appleton’s article “The Body Piercing Project” and Bonnie Berkowitz’ “Tattooing Outgrows Its Renegade Image to Thrive In The Mainstream”.
E. Choose five of the following terms and give a brief definition of each. (2 points each, 10 total)
This assignment is intended to ensure you understand some of the basic terms used in this course.
Note to students: This is a closed-book exam, containing 3 questions, worth 30 marks in total. Apart from sundry writing materials (pens, pencils and the like), no examination aids are permitted
Complete the following practice exercises from Chapter 1 and 2 and submit them to your instructor. This assignment will be graded as a completion only to allow you to transition into the subject matter during the first week. The instructor will post the answers to these exercises by the end of Day 6 for you to check your accuracy and comprehension on the subject matter. Exercises:
The scholar Guy Swanson once said, “Thinking without comparison is unthinkable. And, in the absence of comparison, so is all scientific thought and scientific research.” (cited in Ragin, 1992). As such, comparison is necessary for the development of political science. The ‘art of comparing’ can be seen as what experimentation is to most sciences – the principal and most effective way to test theory. (Peters, 1998) This essay seeks to describe the different aspects of the ‘art of comparing’ and also to detail the reasons why the comparative method is a necessary tool in the belt of any political scientist.
The Oxford Dictionary defines politics as the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power. Comparative politics is the interdisciplinary study of how power is organized across time and space. It connects the operation of power across multiple time and spatial scales and identifies the similarities and differences of how power operates across space and time.
Where do you see the greatest differences between you and your district? How might these differences produce contrasting political perspectives (If it’s helpful, feel free to use example issues like taxation, immigration, abortion, voter ID laws, etc.)? (3 pts)
This is an election year. Voters get their information from the news on TV, newspapers, and even magazine articles about who is running for office for each Republican or Democratic political party. Voters have to research these political parties and know about the objectives each political party supports. Both have similarities and differences that they believe in. Both Republicans and Democrats are both political parties that are similar in some ways, To begin, both parties agree on minimum wages.
For each pair of terms , explain how the meaning of the terms differ .
My first experience with politics was during the 2008 Presidential election. At that time I felt very strongly for Mitt Romney and was deeply saddened by his defeat. Because of this loss, I vowed to take the powers vested in me by the Constitution to make sure the US does not elect Obama, making the same mistake. He is a mistake because I consider him a failure. He has decreased the value of life for many citizens and ruined America’s healthcare system. I have become educated about current events as well as followed the political campaigns, to which I hope will be evident in the next section.
Political science includes a wide range of topics that attempts to describe and explain the political process, politics, and the relationship among governments. As American citizens we should all be informed and be educated about all these above topics. We as citizens cannot be unconscious of our government as the government can make or break our lives. The general areas of study in political science include American government and politics, political theory, public administration, public law, comparative politics and international relations.