Comparative Politics

A political entity possessing sovereignty

CP tends to focus on the study of relationships between states and societies

Refers to an absence of central authority

Qualitative analysis studies the different aspects of cases and many of the factors while weighing their emotional value. Quantitative wants the numbers.

The dependent variable is the one the researcher seeks to explain. The independent is the one he changes to better understand the other.

A proposal suggesting a relationship between two or more variables

Suggests that things are never that simple. But made up of a series of complex choices.

A hard to remove bias towards ones own country.

MSS is based on finding differences in very similar units
MDS is finding similarities in very different units.

A mixed design uses a minimum of 2 research methods

A case that seems most likely to disprove the theory proposed.

Theory is a simplified depiction of reality

A study that focus on how institutions affect the actions of individuals

A collection of the emotions and thoughts of individuals living within a specified proximity

A social collective in which the members share certain aspects

The study of interactions between nations or states

A constantly evolving system of government institutions

a research study based on the case study.

Research that focuses on a specific case, whether that's an area, a group of people, or a time period.

A comparison of two distinct cases

What happens when a researcher does not have enough cases to know that the variable they are studying is caused by a specific variable.

The idea that science and knowledge can be grounded in objective observations of the social world

A top down approach that starts with a theory and then continues to form conclusions.

The relative culture formed and passed down through overarching social structures.

What happens when two rational thinkers interact and share their knowledge in order to make a better choice

The experiences and knowledge that is shared between people.

The apparatus through which a body exercises it's influence and authority.

The main actor or subject in a hypothesis or theory

An organization that records and collects information about different countries, especially the united states.

The branch of OECD that focuses most heavily on the study of students

A method used to prove and verify a theory by finding refuting evidence

Traditionally organizations, but essentially rules that influence, either directly or indirectly, the action of actors.

A type of comparison in which the same case is studied twice over a period of time.

The rejection of the idea that all science can be seen in objective observations of the world. Haters on positivism

Agency and structure are often polarized. While agency suggests that all human beings act of their own volition, structure suggests that they are influenced wholly by outside forces

Cultural tradition is similar to structure in that cultural tradition also suggests that human beings are influenced by outside forces. It however, suggests that these influences or cultures, are passed down over time.

A theory that specializes in studying why poverty continues to be found and perpetuated, on a rational and structural level.

Theory, method, and evidence. Three important factors that are vital to comparative analysis.