CSS - Citizens, Society, and the State Module Overview
Citizens, Society, and the State
Introduction
Government and politics are only part of the many features of a complex society. Religion, ethnic groups, race, and social and economic classes all interact with the political system and have a tremendous impact on policy-making. In this unit we will look at the factors that make up these divisions, such as attitudes and beliefs of citizens, to include political efficacy; political socialization; transparency; and types of political participation, including voting behavior. Finally, we will look at the aim to bring about or resist fundamental change in an existing group or society through social movements. The study of Citizens, Society and State, in Comparative Politics, looks at the variety of ways a government is linked to its citizens. Ultimately, politics hinges on interactions between state and society, so by categorizing government-citizen relationships we can successfully compare and contrast how the two relate to each other and establish a level of political efficacy for the country. We do this by asking a series of questions, such as, "What mix of social classes, ethnic and racial groups, religions, and languages does a country have?", "Do citizens trust their government?", "Do electronic and print media shape the citizens' learning?", and "Do citizens in the country participate in regular elections?" In addition, social movements that aim to bring about or resist change in an existing society are also studied.
Module Key Terms
Before you begin your studies, make certain you are familiar with the vocabulary.
- Social Cleavages - Divisions of individuals, such as religion, ethnic groups, race, social or economic classes.
- Social Boundaries -the degree to which people separate from one another.
- Political efficacy - a citizen's capacity to understand and influence political events.
- Subject Activities - interaction with a government through obedience.
- Civil Society - voluntary organizations outside of the state that helps people define and advance their own interests.
- Tyranny of the majority - tendency in democracies to allow majority rule to neglect the rights and liberties of minorities.
- Nongovernmental Organizations (NGO's) - national and international groups, independent of any state, that pursue policy objectives and foster public participation.
- Global Cosmopolitanism - universal political order that draws its identity and values from everywhere.
- Transparency - openness by the government.
Now that you have reviewed the module key terms, you are ready to complete the Citizens, Society, and the State Key Terms Activity below.
At the end of this unit, you should be able to answer this essential question:
- How are a country's political patterns influenced by the interactions between state and society?
Module Lessons Preview
In this module, we will study the following topics:
Political Socialization: Political socialization is the "process by which individuals learn and frequently internalize a political lens framing their perceptions of how power is arranged and how the world around them is (and should be) organized; those perceptions, in turn, shape and define individuals' definitions of who they are and how they should behave in the political and economic institutions in which they live."
Citizen and State Relationships: Governments connect to their citizens in a variety of ways. By categorizing government/citizen relationships, we are able to compare between countries and note similarities and differences. For example, citizens in democracies generally relate differently than do citizens governed by authoritarian rulers.
Political Participation: Political participation is any activity that shapes, affects, or involves the political sphere. Political participation ranges from voting to attending a rally to committing an act of terrorism to sending a letter to a representative.
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