I was in civil society long before I was ever in politics or my husband was ever even elected president Hillary Clinton American politician Social Cleavages Definition Categories of identity that create divisions between groups in a society ID: 531966
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Part Four: Citizens, Society & the State
“I was in civil society long before I was ever in politics or my husband was ever even elected president.” – Hillary Clinton (American politician)Slide2
Social CleavagesDefinitionCategories of identity that create divisions between groups in a society
Two Considerations:What are the bases of social cleavages?How are cleavages expressed in the political system?Coinciding vs Cross-Cutting CleavagesDo multiple cleavages lead to more or less division?Slide3
Bases of Social CleavagesSocial Class
Examples?Ethnic CleavagesBased on different cultural identities, including religion/languageMost divisive and explosiveExamples?Religious CleavagesClosely intertwined with ethnicityExamples?Regional CleavagesInvolves competition for jobs, money and development projects
Examples?Slide4Slide5Slide6Slide7
Cleavages and Political Institutions
How are cleavages expressed in the political system?Is political party membership based on cleavages?Do political elites usually come from one group or another?Do these cleavages block some groups from fully participating in government?Slide8
Coinciding vs Cross-Cutting Cleavages
Coinciding (Reinforcing) CleavagesIdentity divisions that coincide with one another for large numbers of individualsMore likely to be explosiveCross-Cutting CleavagesDivide society into many potential groups that may conflict on one issue, but cooperate on anotherTend to keep conflict to more moderate levelsSlide9
Flemish-speaking Flanders
French-speaking Walonia
Wealthier
Poorer
North
South
Highly Fragmented Parties
German
French
Italian
Different Dialects
Mixed Religions
Economic interests in tourism or banking
Belgium
Switzerland
Coinciding Cleavages
Cross-Cutting Cleavages
Stable SocietySlide10
Comparing Citizen/State RelationshipsSlide11
Citizen/State RelationshipPolitical Efficacy
:A citizen’s capacity to understand and influence political eventsMake a hypothesis based on political efficacy…TransparencyTransparent govt operates openly What is the connection between transparency and political efficacy? Corruption?Political Socialization
How citizens learn about politics in their country
Identify agents of socialization:Slide12
Political CulturePolitical Culture: collection of political beliefs, values, practices, institutions that government is based on
Traditions can be importantVaries from one country to anotherSocial capitalAmount of trust between citizens and the stateTypes of Political CultureConsensualGeneral agreement on how decisions are madeConflictualCitizens are sharply divided on legitimacy of regimeSlide13
Political CultureDiscussion Question: Can you think of a time when political culture was conflictual in the U.S
.?Slide14
Political Ideologies
Sets of political values held by individualsExamples:Liberalism
Emphasis on individual political & economic freedom
Ideology vs. stereotypes (particularly in the U.S.)
Communism
Values equality over freedomSlide15
Political IdeologiesSocialism
Shares value of equality with CommunismBut, favors freedom, private ownership and free market principlesState has a strong role to play in economy and public benefitsFascismRejects the idea of equality and devalues individual freedom (Nazi Germany)
Religion
Plays a varied role in many governmentsSlide16Slide17
Types of ParticipationDiscussion Question:
How does participation in authoritarian regimes differ from participation in democratic regimes?Slide18
Types of ParticipationDiscussion Question:
How does participation in authoritarian regimes differ from participation in democratic regimes?Participation in Authoritarian GovtsMost citizens contact govt through subject activities that involve obedienceObeying laws, following military orders, paying taxes, voting (although limited choices)Participation in Democratic Govts
Citizens usually
play
a more active part in political process
Most common – voting. Also working for candidates, political meetings/rallies, contributing to campaigns, political
partiesSlide19
Types of ParticipationInterest Groups
Political PartiesVotingSocial movementsOrganized collective activities that aim to bring about/resist change in an existing group/societySlide20
Civil SocietyCivil Society
Organized life outside the stateVoluntary groupsHelp people define and advance their own interestUsually strong in liberal democraciesHelp prevent “tyranny of the majority”Global Civil Society: Nongovernmental organizations (NGO’s)Doctors Without Borders for example, Amnesty International, Red CrossSlide21
Civil Society: arena outside of the state and family (i.e., mainly voluntary organizations and civic associations) that permits individuals to associate freely and independently of state regulationSlide22
Mass MediaAn important way to legitimately access political elites
When a message receives national attention, the message to policy makers carries added weight because they know millions of voters have been exposed to the issuesWhen control over mass media is loosened, democracy tends to receive a huge
boostSlide23
Multiple ChoiceA unitary political system is one that
Concentrates policymaking power in one geographic placeConcentrates policymaking power in the hands of one individualHas only one branch of government – the executiveDoes not allow direct elections of public officials
Has only one house in the legislatureSlide24
Multiple ChoiceAll of the following are examples of common institutions that exist in states EXCEPT:
BureaucraciesLegislaturesNationsJudicial systemsPolitical partiesSlide25
Multiple ChoiceWhich of the following can be considered to be a fundamental characteristic of a presidential system?
Separation in the executive branch between a head of state and a head of governmentSelection of executive branch leaders by legislative representativesA plurality electoral systemA consensual political culture
Checks and balancesSlide26
Multiple ChoiceIf people who live in one region of a country and share a common ethnicity and religion often have conflict with people in another region who share a different ethnicity and religion, the country is characterized by
Cross-cutting cleavagesA consensual political cultureCoinciding cleavagesLow levels of political legitimacy
An active civil society