What is Comparative Politics?
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A subfield of Political Science that focuses on comparing political systems, institutions, and processes.
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What is Comparative Politics?
A subfield of Political Science that focuses on comparing political systems, institutions, and processes.
What is the focus of the comparative approach in political science?
To analyze and compare political systems, behaviors, and institutions across different countries.
What are the three main subfields of Political Science?
Comparative Politics, Political Theory, and International Relations.
Who is the instructor for the course on Comparative Politics?
Dr. NG, Tsz Fung Kenneth.
What is the principal aim of the analytical study in comparative politics?
To provide explanations.
What does the study of a single country in Comparative Politics involve?
An in-depth analysis of the political system within a specific country outside your home country.
What is the course code for the Introduction to Comparative Politics?
CCSS40 38.
What does the analytical approach in comparative politics involve?
Identification and explanation of similarities and differences between countries, their institutions, actors, processes, and outcomes.
What does Political Theory focus on?
Normative and theoretical questions, such as 'Why should people participate in politics?'
What are the two main strategies for case selection in research?
Qualitative strategies and quantitative strategies.
What are the two key questions to consider in case selection for comparative research design?
Which cases are most suitable for comparison and how many cases should be selected?
What is a common voting trend among wealthier individuals?
They tend to vote Republican.
How was Comparative Politics viewed when the discipline first began?
It mainly meant the study of political systems outside the US, often analyzed in isolation.
What is a selection bias in comparative research?
It occurs when the samples used for analysis are not representative or when proper data randomization is not achieved.
What is a single case study?
An intensive study of a single instance with wider significance.
What are the two potential solutions to conceptual stretching?
Family Resemblance and Radial Categories.
What is the 'individual fallacy' in comparative research?
It occurs when data measured at the individual or group level is interpreted as if it represents the whole.
How do researchers test causal relationships in comparative politics?
By employing systematic comparison across numerous cases.
What is Comparative Politics?
A subfield of political science that involves the systematic study and comparison of political systems, institutions, and behaviors across different countries.
What characterizes qualitative strategies in case selection?
They typically involve many variables and few cases (small-N, less than 10 or 15).
How is Comparative Politics characterized?
As an empirical and value-neutral subfield that seeks to answer questions like 'Why do people participate in politics?'
What does Comparative Politics do in practice?
It describes similarities and differences in the political world.
In comparative politics, what do 'cases' refer to?
Units of observation that are to be compared, such as countries.
What does MSSD stand for?
Most Similar Systems Design.
What voting trend is observed among poorer individuals?
They tend to vote Democrat.
What does Comparative Politics primarily compare?
National and non-national political systems.
What is the focus of the methodological study in Comparative Politics?
Establishing rules and standards for comparative analysis.
What is 'conceptual stretching' in comparative research?
The process of extending concepts to apply to other contexts, increasing observations across more cases.
What is the focus of a few (small-N) case study?
Holistic comparison of two or more cases.
What can selection biases lead to in comparative research?
The selection of cases with no variation on the dependent variable, making it impossible to learn about the causes of that variable.
How can political parties be defined in terms of their characteristics?
As any actor that is vote-seeking (A), office-seeking (B), and policy-seeking (C).
What are the main focuses of Comparative Politics?
It focuses on understanding political phenomena, analyzing political systems, and comparing political institutions and processes.
Why is inferring democracy from individual responses misleading?
Overt support for democracy at the individual level is not a reliable measure of democratic institutions at the societal level.
What can researchers verify or falsify using the comparative method?
Causal relationships between variables.
What does International Relations study?
Interactions between different political systems, addressing issues like balance of power, war, and trade.
What characterizes quantitative strategies in case selection?
They generally involve few variables and many cases (large-N).
What is one method used in Comparative Politics to organize political phenomena?
Establish classifications and typologies by dividing political phenomena into groups with common attributes.
What becomes the unit of observation when comparing individual voters or political parties?
The 'voter' or 'party' within the case.
What logic is MSSD based on?
The method of difference.
What do Mill's logics presuppose in comparative research?
The existence of a list of potential causes to consider.
What is Mississippi's rank in terms of per capita income?
51st.
What are the three types of goals that political parties might pursue?
Vote-seeking (A), policy-seeking (C), and office-seeking (B).
What can obscure voting trends when analyzing state-level data?
Looking solely at the average wealth of each state.
What are examples of sovereign states in Comparative Politics?
Independent countries recognized by international law.
What are common concepts in political science that may undergo conceptual stretching?
'Democracy' and 'political parties'.
What question does the methodological aspect of Comparative Politics address?
How comparative analyses should be conducted.
What is the Method of Difference in comparative inquiries?
It focuses on comparing cases with differing values for either the dependent variable (Y) or the independent variable (X), while maintaining a constant context and covariation between Y and X.
How can focusing solely on English-speaking democracies affect research findings?
It may not provide accurate insights into the characteristics of all democracies, as it excludes non-English-speaking democracies.
What type of analysis is used in many (large-N) cases?
Statistical assessments of the relationships between variables.
What is the first step in conducting Comparative Politics?
Define the research question or hypothesis.
What does the Family Resemblance approach allow for in defining concepts?
It allows the concept to include actors with fewer characteristics in common, rather than requiring all characteristics to be present simultaneously.
Why is Comparative Politics important?
It helps to identify patterns, test theories, and understand the complexities of political dynamics in various contexts.
What can happen if broad conclusions about democracy are drawn from individual responses?
It can lead to misleading results.
What is the main focus of Comparative Politics?
Exploring interactions within political systems and power relationships between individuals and groups.
What factor may be considered in case selection related to change or process development?
Time.
What question does Comparative Politics seek to answer regarding political events?
Why does something happen here but not there?
What is Galton's problem in comparative research?
It refers to the potential influence of an exogenous factor common to all cases selected for comparison.
What determines the type of analysis that can be conducted in comparative research?
The number of observations, whether large - N (many observations) or small - N (few observations).
What does internal validity refer to in comparative research?
The degree to which inferences from a given set of cases are correct for most, if not all, the cases under inspection.
What is a representative case in comparative analysis?
A typical case that is 'undramatic', such as the coalition government in Finland.
In the context of MSSD, what is a key characteristic of countries A and B?
Both have a left-wing party government, are ethnically homogeneous, have a parliamentary system, and high welfare spending.
Does the logic itself generate the list of potential causes?
No, the list is formulated based on theory about likely causes of the effects.
What percentage of voters in Mississippi supported Trump?
57.9%.
What does the radial categories method involve?
Identifying one characteristic as the essential attribute, with others considered secondary.
What is the first goal suggested by John S. Mill for comparative research?
Maximize Experimental Variance.
What is the likely answer regarding voting trends despite state-level trends?
The latter (individual wealth influencing voting).
What is the ecological fallacy in comparative research?
It occurs when aggregate-level data is used to make inferences about individual or group-level behavior.
What does a historical case study trace?
The process leading to a known outcome.
Why is it important to have a representative sample in comparative research?
To ensure that findings are applicable to and representative of the broader population being studied.
What is an example of sub-national political systems?
States in the US.
What is a potential consequence of conceptual stretching?
Distortion of the concept when applied to cases where its features may not fit.
What does the Method of Agreement emphasize in comparative analysis?
It emphasizes comparing cases to identify consistent relationships between the dependent variable (Y) and the independent variable (X), even as other variables vary.
What are some examples of combinations of characteristics allowed in the Family Resemblance approach?
(A, C), (B, C), and (A, B).
What is essential for selecting cases in Comparative Politics?
Choosing cases that are relevant and comparable.
What methods are commonly used in Comparative Politics?
Methods include case studies, statistical analysis, and comparative historical analysis.
How does Comparative Politics differ from International Relations?
Comparative Politics explores interactions within political systems, while International Relations focuses on interactions between different political systems.
What does 'lip service' to democracy imply?
It does not necessarily reflect a deep commitment to crucial democratic norms.
How does Comparative Politics formulate explanations for differences?
By formulating hypotheses and using empirical data to test them.
What is the type of analysis often used when time and process development are crucial?
Longitudinal or historical analysis.
What is an example of internal validity?
"X → Y" applies to the country cases (A, B, C, D & E) being studied.
How can Galton's problem affect research conclusions?
It can confound the relationship between dependent and independent variables, hindering valid conclusions.
What defines a prototypical case?
A case expected to become typical of the category.
What is the Most Different Systems Design (MDSD)?
A comparative method based on the logic of the method of agreement.
What assumption do the logics make about the causes of effects?
That there is only one unique cause of the effect among the factors considered.
What distinguishes country C from countries A and B in the MSSD framework?
Country C does not have a left-wing party government and has low welfare spending.
What is Connecticut's rank in terms of per capita income?
2nd.
In the context of political parties, which characteristic is defined as the primary attribute in the radial categories method?
Vote-seeking (A).
What does MSSD stand for in comparative research?
Most Similar Systems Design.
What does maximizing experimental variance allow researchers to determine?
Whether X accounts for changes in Y.
What example illustrates the ecological fallacy in the text?
The voting patterns in the 2016 US presidential election.
What is the research question regarding welfare spending?
Why do some countries spend more than 15% of their GDP on welfare provisions while others spend 15% or less?
What are super-national units in Comparative Politics?
Regions, EU, empires.
What role do variables play in Comparative Politics?
Variables help in analyzing and comparing different political systems.
How can we increase a concept's applicability across more cases?
By making the concept less specific or 'thinner'.
What is the primary focus of the Method of Difference?
To compare cases that differ in values for Y or X while keeping other variables constant.
What is a predictive aspect of Comparative Politics?
Assuming a factor leads to an outcome in one place, it predicts if the same outcome can occur in another place with the same factor.
What is the purpose of employing comparative methods in research?
To bridge theory and evidence.
What is an example of a sophisticated case?
The use of the internet in the US election campaigns.
What does external validity refer to?
The extent to which the results of the comparative research can be valid for other similar cases not included in the research.
What does the method of agreement focus on?
Identifying commonalities among different cases.
What type of system does MSSD analyze?
Countries that are similar in many aspects but differ in one or more key variables.
What is an example of Galton's problem in comparative research?
Comparing fiscal policies across states in Europe after the introduction of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) requirement.
What is a potential limitation of Mill's logics in comparative research?
The actual cause might be a combination of various factors, not just one unique cause.
What cases are possible when vote-seeking (A) is defined as the primary attribute?
(A+B) and (A+C).
What percentage of voters in Connecticut supported Trump?
40.9%.
What does MDSD stand for in comparative research?
Most Different Systems Design.
What voting trend was observed in the wealthiest states during the 2016 US presidential election?
They tended to vote for the Democratic candidate.
What is the second goal in comparative research according to John S. Mill?
Minimize Error Variance.
What could explain the variation in welfare spending among countries?
If the government of a country is controlled by a left-wing party, then its welfare spending will likely exceed 15% of its GDP.
What is a downside of making a concept more general?
It may compromise the quality of analysis and the validity of results.
What is a common method used in Comparative Politics?
Qualitative and quantitative analysis.
How does the Method of Agreement differ from the Method of Difference?
The Method of Agreement looks for consistent relationships between Y and X across varying cases, while the Method of Difference compares cases with differing values for Y or X.
What types of political systems are compared in Comparative Politics?
Democratic, hybrid, and authoritarian regimes.
What does a theory establish in the context of comparative research?
A relationship between two real-world phenomena.
What is an exemplary case?
A case that created the category, such as the British Parliament representing a 'parliamentary system'.
How does including more cases in analysis affect external validity?
The more cases included, the more representative the analysis and the more robust the overall result will be.
In the context of MDSD, what does a 'Yes' indicate for a country having a left-wing party government?
It indicates that the country has a left-wing party in government.
How should the rules of comparison be treated in research design?
As guidelines, acknowledging their limitations.
What is another example of Galton's problem?
The choice for a Westminster style of parliamentary governance in former British colonies.
What is the original single case when considering all three attributes (A, B, C)?
(A+B+C).
What is the relationship between average income and voting patterns?
There is a line through average income and vote, indicating a potential correlation.
What is the focus of MSSD?
Selecting cases that are similar on features but not part of the X → Y relation.
What voting trend was observed in the poorest states during the 2016 US presidential election?
They tended to vote for the Republican candidate.
How can researchers minimize error variance?
By increasing the number of cases studied.
What is the dependent variable in the research question?
Welfare spending (Y).
Why is it important to consider context in Comparative Politics?
Context influences the outcomes and interpretations of political phenomena.
What single elements of political systems are analyzed?
Structure of institutions, policies, and finances of political parties.
In the context of a theory, what does 'X' represent?
The independent variable.
What characterizes a deviant case?
An exception to the rule, like India as a stable democracy in a developing country.
What is a potential benefit of analyzing fewer cases?
It may lead to a more coherent and solid conclusion for the set of cases included, enhancing internal validity.
What does it mean if a country is ethnically homogeneous in MDSD?
It means the country has a population with similar ethnic backgrounds.
What role does globalization play in comparative research?
It can lead to policy diffusion, which may complicate comparisons.
What is the focus of MDSD?
Selecting cases that are dissimilar on many features but not part of the X → Y relation.
What historical trend contradicts the voting patterns observed in the 2016 election?
Historically, wealthier individuals have tended to vote Republican.
What is the third goal in comparative research as per John S. Mill?
Control Extraneous Variance.
What is the independent variable in the proposed explanation for welfare spending?
The political control of the government (X), specifically if it is controlled by a left-wing party.
What is a key challenge in Comparative Politics?
Dealing with the complexity and variability of political systems.
What is a critical case?
A case that suggests if it works here, it will work almost anywhere, such as promoting democracy in Afghanistan.
What does 'Y' signify in a theoretical framework?
The dependent variable.
What happens to internal validity if external validity increases?
Internal validity may decrease.
What is the significance of a parliamentary system in MDSD?
It indicates the type of governance structure in the country.
What does the method of difference imply?
It examines cases where the relation between X and Y varies.
What question does the text raise regarding the voting behavior of wealthier and poorer individuals?
Does it indicate a shift in voting patterns or is it an example of the ecological fallacy?
What are extraneous variables in the context of comparative research?
Other potential influences on the relationship between X and Y.
What is the significance of theory in Comparative Politics?
Theory provides a framework for understanding and explaining political behavior.
What is the role of 'Y' in a theory?
It is the phenomenon to be explained.
What does high welfare spending imply in the context of MDSD?
It suggests a significant investment in social welfare programs.
What does the method of agreement imply?
It examines cases where the relation between X and Y remains constant.
What can omitted variables (Z) create in a study?
A spurious relationship that misleads the cause-effect understanding between X and Y.
What does 'X' serve as in a theoretical context?
The explanatory factor or the most likely cause.
How does the MDSD help in comparative analysis?
By comparing countries with different characteristics to find common outcomes.
What does covariance in the X → Y relation indicate?
It shows that the relation varies across the cases included.
What methods are employed to determine if an explanation answers a research question?
Comparative methods.
What is a variable?
A concept that can be systematically observed and measured in various situations.
What is a key characteristic of the X → Y relation in the method of agreement?
It remains constant across the cases.
What is the role of empirical data in testing a proposed explanation?
It serves as the evidence to test the explanation.
Why is it important to observe variables in different situations?
To understand the similarities and differences between observed phenomena.
Why is establishing strict causality in social science challenging?
Because of the complexity of 'X - Y' relationships.
What can be assumed if there is a clear relationship between variations in X and Y?
Causality (i.e., X → Y) can be assumed.
What is a single-case study?
A study focusing on one case, such as a deviant or critical case.
What example is given to illustrate the relationship between welfare spending and political parties?
The type of ruling political party affects a country's welfare spending.
What does a time series study involve?
Analyzing one case over time, such as the development of a green party.
What is necessary for assuming causality in a relationship?
A clear and systematic relationship and a theory explaining it.
What is meant by a closed universe in research?
Focusing on relevant cases in relevant periods, like developments of dictatorship during the inter-war period.
What is a cross-section study?
Analyzing 'all' cases at one time point.
What does pooled analysis aim to achieve?
Maximizing cases across time and space.
What are few intervals in research?
A study design that examines a limited number of time intervals.
What does 'many cases' refer to in research?
A study design that involves analyzing a large number of cases.
What does 'few cases' imply in research methodology?
A study design that focuses on a limited number of cases.
What does 'no interval' indicate in a study?
A design that does not consider time intervals in the analysis.
What is the significance of studying a deviant case?
It helps to understand exceptions to general patterns in research.
