Normative Political theory Flashcards

1
Q

Definition Normative Political Theory

A

The study of concepts and principles for evaluating, critiquing, and prescribing political action, events, and institutions.

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2
Q

Characteristics:

A

Engages in normative claims.
Involves prescriptive or evaluative statements that require coherent and defendable arguments.

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3
Q

Distinct from Empirical Approach:

A

Doesn’t take a position in ontology or epistemology.
Concerned with the actual world of politics.
Aims to understand how political events are normatively evaluated.

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4
Q

Core Themes in Political Theory:

A

Analyzing Political Affairs:
Focus on themes such as power, legitimacy, authority, justice, equality, rights, ideology, and obligation.
Normative Focus:
Normative political theorists integrate empirical claims into their analyses.

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5
Q

History of Political Thought Definition

A

A subdiscipline of Political Theory that examines canonical thinkers and their influence.

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6
Q

History of Political Thought: Approaches:

A

Exegetical textual analysis.
Historical ideas in context.
Historical ideas applied to contemporary problems

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7
Q

Fact/Value Distinction: Traditional View:

A

Positivist separation of facts (what is) and values (what should be).

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8
Q

Fact/Value distinction Critique:

A

Contested by Frankfurt School theorists, suggesting value judgments are inherent in empirical political science.

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9
Q

Empirical vs. Normative Statements:

A

Empirical Statements: Describe factual occurrences.
Normative Statements: Convey value judgments or prescribe actions.

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10
Q

Normative Arguments
Structure:

A

Normative arguments consist of at least one normative premise (Y) often combined with empirical premises (Z).

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11
Q

Normative Arguments
Example:

A

Torture is always wrong (Y), Waterboarding is a form of torture (Z), The CIA waterboarded Al Qaeda suspects in 2002 (Z), What the CIA did was morally reprehensible (X).

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12
Q

John Rawls’ Theory of Justice:
Principles

A

Consistent with specific judgments of justice.
Impartial, derived from behind a ‘veil of ignorance.’

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13
Q

Political Theory and Political Science:
Analytical Separation:

A

Empirical and normative claims can be analytically separate.

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14
Q

Political Theory and Political Science:
integration

A

Comparative political science is needed to discover the best form of government.

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15
Q

Frankfurt School on Fact/Value:

A

Contested View: Adorno, Horkheimer, and Habermas argue that value judgments are inescapable in empirical political science.

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16
Q

Contextualist Turn:

A

Institutionalist Turn: Rawls instigated an institutionalist turn in political theory.
Contextualist Turn: Explores weaknesses of Rawls, leading to areas like non-ideal theory, global distributive justice, closed societies, just migration, and self-determination.

17
Q

Bridging the Gap: Political Theory/Science:

A

Political Science can include value judgements
in deciding how to study and what to study

Methodology Debate: Should the study of politics be methods-driven or problem-solving?

18
Q

Combining Normative and Empirical Work:
Examples:

A

Empirical study of normative attitudes/beliefs.
Studying institutionally embedded norms.
Qualitative case studies.
Quantitative comparative studies.