Approaches in Political Science

Question 1

What is political science?

Answer 1

An academic discipline that focuses on the study of government and politics

Question 2

Who defined political science as the study of ‘Who gets what, when and how’?

Answer 2

Harold Lasswell

Question 3

At its most fundamental level, political science is the study of _______.

Answer 3

power and the distribution of power and values in societies and among nations

Question 4

What ancient text by Plato addresses the question of an ideal government?

Answer 4

Plato’s Republic

Question 5

What was the first study of types of political systems?

Answer 5

Aristotle’s Politics

Question 6

Which philosophers advanced political philosophy during the Renaissance?

Answer 6

Machiavelli and Hobbes

Question 7

Which thinkers contributed to political philosophy during the Enlightenment?

Answer 7

Locke and Rousseau

Question 8

In the 19th Century, political science took a new turn with the emergence of _______ and political sociology.

Answer 8

legal institutional studies

Question 9

Where did political science as a discipline develop scientifically in the 1930s and 1940s?

Answer 9

University of Chicago

Question 10

What significant methodological shift occurred in political science during the ‘behavioural revolution’?

Answer 10

A focus on empirical analysis and human actions

Question 11

What is the ‘rational choice theory’ in political science?

Answer 11

The belief that political actions can be analyzed by presuming individuals seek to maximize their self-interest

Question 12

What does the ‘Prisoners’ dilemma’ illustrate in rational choice theory?

Answer 12

How individually rational behavior can lead to sub-optimal collective outcomes

Question 13

What does a ‘Nash equilibrium’ refer to?

Answer 13

A situation where players make the best decision they can, considering the other player’s decisions

Question 14

True or False: The rational choice theory assumes that individuals always make rational decisions.

Answer 14

False

Question 15

What are the two main theoretical approaches in political science?

Answer 15

Rational choice approach and institutional approach

Question 16

What is meant by ‘institutions’ in political science?

Answer 16

Any formal or informal rule that constrains the behavior of actors

Question 17

In the context of the institutional approach, what are ‘veto players’?

Answer 17

Actors who can block a proposal in the policy-making process

Question 18

What is the ‘ultimatum game’ in experimental psychology?

Answer 18

A game where one player proposes a division of money and the other decides to accept or reject it

Question 19

What does ‘new institutionalism’ focus on?

Answer 19

The role of institutions in shaping political behavior and outcomes

Question 20

List the three different analytical approaches included in new institutionalism.

Answer 20

• Rational choice institutionalism
• Sociological institutionalism
• Historical institutionalism

Question 21

What do rational choice institutionalists believe about institutions?

Answer 21

They frame the individual’s strategic behavior

Question 22

According to sociological institutionalism, what governs everyday life and social interaction?

Answer 22

Social norms

Question 23

What does historical institutionalism emphasize about political outcomes?

Answer 23

They are products of both rule following and interest maximizing

Question 24

What is ‘path dependency’ in political science?

Answer 24

The idea that later decisions are influenced by earlier ones

Question 25

Fill in the blank: According to Alexander Gershenkron, when a country industrializes, it affects how it _______.

Answer 25

industrializes

Question 26

What is the assumption of 'optimality' in rational choice theory?

Answer 26

Individuals choose actions that are the best given their preferences and constraints

Question 27

What is the foundational assumption of rational choice theory?

Answer 27

Competition for scarce resources

Question 28

What is the significance of the 'behavioural revolution' in political science?

Answer 28

It represented a shift towards empirical analysis of political behavior

Question 29

True or False: Historical institutionalism treats all political actions as fundamentally the same.

Answer 29

False

Question 30

What is the role of 'structures' in rational choice theory?

Answer 30

They dictate certain actions that individuals can take

Question 31

What is path dependency?

Answer 31

The idea that in a sequence of events, the latter decisions are not entirely independent from those that occurred in the past. ## Footnote Path dependency suggests that historical decisions can lock in certain outcomes for a long time.

Question 32

How does the past influence expectations according to the text?

Answer 32

Expectations are shaped by the past, as seen in America's misadventure in Iraq in 2003, influenced by past successes in Germany and Japan after WWII. ## Footnote This highlights the interconnectedness of historical events.

Question 33

What does it mean when the text states 'the past shapes the future'?

Answer 33

It signifies that previous decisions and institutional frameworks can significantly influence future political outcomes. ## Footnote This reflects the concept of path dependency.

Question 34

What example of path dependency is provided in the text?

Answer 34

The structure of party systems in western Europe today. ## Footnote Lipset & Rokkan (1967) argued that the party systems formed in the 1920s were 'frozen' due to resilient organizational structures.

Question 35

What criticism is directed at the institutional approach?

Answer 35

It has failed to adequately explain institutional change and is more focused on continuity rather than change. ## Footnote Critics argue it does not sufficiently address human agency.

Question 36

What is the interaction between actors and institutions according to contemporary political scientists?

Answer 36

Most assume a two-way interaction, where actors can influence institutions and vice versa. ## Footnote This suggests a dynamic relationship rather than a one-sided influence.

Question 37

What does K. Shepsle refer to when discussing outcomes that are difficult to change?

Answer 37

Institutional equilibria. ## Footnote This term refers to the stability of institutions once they have been established.

Question 38

Fill in the blank: Once formal and informal institutions have been in place for some time, they are often difficult to change; they are _______.

Answer 38

sticky. ## Footnote This term describes the resistance to change in established institutions.

Question 39

What is one consequence of institutions influencing policy or political outcomes?

Answer 39

These outcomes tend to be 'locked-in' for a long term. ## Footnote This highlights the long-lasting impact of past decisions.

Question 40

What is a key assumption of the institutional approach?

Answer 40

That institutions play a significant role in shaping political outcomes. ## Footnote This underscores the importance of institutional frameworks in political science.