1. Midterm Exam Review

2. Key Points Chapter 1: Introduction  What is the primary relationship that we are examining?  What is the difference between Most Similar Systems research design and Most Different Systems research design?  What are the strengths and weaknesses of these designs?

3. Key Points Chapter 2: Research  What is a theory?  What’s the difference between normative and empirical theories?  What is the difference between inductive and deductive theory? How does the process of theory development differ?  What are the differences between quantitative and qualitative evidence?  What is the difference between correlation and causation. Why might a relationship that looks like a causal one, in fact only be correlation?  Why is criticism important? What are important kinds of critiques that can challenge the research that you read?

4. Key Points Chapter 3: State  How does Weber define the state?  Why is the modern state unique from the feudal state?  When we speak of state, what exactly are we talking about?  What is legitimacy?  What is state capacity and how can a state improve its capacity?  What is state failure and why is it bad?  Why is the relationship between the state and society complicated?  Why is the bureaucracy viewed suspiciously in some states?  Why might someone say the bureaucracy is the backbone of the modern state?  What is sovereignty?  What are the key components of Bellicist theory as to how states emerge? Marxist theory? Cultural theory?  Why did the structure of the state spread around the world?  What is the welfare state and why might it have emerged in the West?

5. Key Points Chapter 12: Nationalism  What is identity and why does it matter in politics?  What is a nation and how does that relate to nationalism?  What are the key points for primordial, perennial and modernist theories as to why nationalism emerged?  What is the difference between ethnic, civic and territorial nationalism?  Individual and collectivist nationalism?  What are the key differences in primordial, cultural and institutional theory as to why nationalism emerges?  Why does violence occur between “nations?”

6. Key Points Chapter 4: Political Economy and Development  What is development?  What are the strengths and weaknesses on traditional measures of economic development, like GDP and PPP?  Why is economic inequality not sufficient in understanding inequality in a society?  What’s the difference between absolute and relative poverty?  What are important measures of social development?  Why are cultural and sustainable development a concern in contemporary societies?  What are the differences between institutional, cultural and Marxist approaches to development?  What are institutions?  What are the strengths and weaknesses of the neo-liberal approach to governance and more government involvement in the economy?  What is the cultural approach to development? How does it differ from religious and geographical theories?  What is civil society and why is it important?

7. Key Points Chapter 5: Democracy and Democratization  What is democracy? Why is this a contested idea?  What are important rights and freedoms associated with democracy?  What is the idea of majority rule an unrealistic democratic ideal?  What is the difference between minimal and substantive democracy?  What is democratization? Differences between transition and consolidation?  When is a democracy consolidated?  Is consolidation permanent?  What is representative democracy? How does it differ from direct democracy?  What are the tools of direct democracy?  What is a constitution and why is it important in a democracy?  How can culture inform democratization?  What about international politics and individuals?

8. Chapter 6  What are the lessons from Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe?  What is authoritarianism?  What are the different types of authoritarian government?  Examples of those types?  Are some more likely to emerge in certain parts of the world rather than others?

9. One Final Hint…  A few bonus questions may appear on the exam.  They will be drawn from our case studies  The UK  Nigeria  Brazil  India  The political systems will be the focus