SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT 2024–25
SESS0017
Understanding Politics II: How Politics Works
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Instructions:
Define TWO concepts in Section A AND respond with shorts essays to TWO questions in Section B.
Citation requirement: for each concept and each short essay, you must cite an “essential” or “optional” Textbook, Tutorial, or Additional reading from the module reading list at least twice. You must use page numbers in your citations. Beyond this minimum requirement, you are encouraged to cite other sources—either on or not featured on the module reading list.
Word limit: 2,000 words overall (see suggested word counts for particular sections, which are guidelines).
NOTE: Extra credit will be awarded for including: (a) material that did not feature prominently in the lectures, including country cases beyond the US and UK; and (b) direct references to scholarly works to support claims made, with appropriate referencing.
Feel free to refer to the definitions you provide in Section A in your essay responses in Section B, rather than repeat content – but there is no requirement to pick concepts and essay questions that align.
Section A
Define, briefly discuss, and illustrate TWO of the following concepts (around 200 words each—recommended):
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Anarchy
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Political regime
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Revolution
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Political culture
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Democracy
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Institution
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Party system
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Civil society
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Social cleavage
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State capacity
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Polyarchy
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Clientelism
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Section B
Answer TWO of the following nine questions with a short, separate essay each (around 800 words each—recommended):
1. To what extent have the factors influencing state formation varied over space and time?
2. Is there a “crisis” of political participation in contemporary politics?
3. Are presidential constitutions “perilous” for democracy?
4. Why might some functions of parties be more important than others?
5. Why are some legislatures more powerful than others?
6. What (if anything) makes political science “scientific”?
7. How do the functions of legislatures differ between democracies and non-democracies?
8. What role does political culture play in how politics works?
9. How do we know whether a particular political regime is democratic or not?
10. What factors determine the balance of power between central and regional governments in federal political systems?
11. What are the major differences between elections in democracies and non-democracies?
12. How do we know whether a federal state in name is a federal state in practice?
13. How do electoral systems shape party systems?
14. To what extent do semi-presidential systems balance executive power more effectively than presidential and parliamentary systems?