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What is participation ?

What is participation ?. What is a “political” activity? What do political scientists measure when looking at participation Your readings: Votes, time, dollars, knowledge & civic skills

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What is participation ?

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  1. What is participation? • What is a “political” activity? What do political scientists measure when looking at participation • Your readings: Votes, time, dollars, knowledge & civic skills • What is the purpose of political activity? How much is necessary? What types matter most? Do you really have to get involved in formal politics or can you virtually be engaged? • Is “violence” a form of “political” participation? What about civil disobedience? • Does non-participation count as participation? Most Americans don’t participate regularly, even in voting, but is that a really problem? • Big question 1: Do voters and non voters mostly look alike? • Big question 2: Do non-voters want different things? (more on both in a minute) • Participation in democratic vs. totalitarian vs. authoritarian systems? Citizens vs. clients

  2. WHERE DOES THE MEASUREMENT OF POLITICAL OPINION FIT INTO participation? • Are polls and surveys a type (or substitute) for participation? What does a poll mean when it says “RV” or “LV” in front of it? • How do they work anyway? What’s random sampling? • What do those qualifying numbers mean? (example: Obama Approval 43% , +/- 2% , pr. <.05). Take a look at a Galton board:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p65aYYuAz-s • What is stratified sampling? Why are sub-population statistics a problem unless there is oversampling or at least weighted sampling? • Sources of survey bias…

  3. WHY DO SOME PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS WHILE MANY DO NOT? • Why would equality matter? What’s the relationship between economic and political equality? Slide next page • Should lots of every day people be involved in politics? Why didn’t our Founders think so? • Do people know enough to participate? • Are people capable of looking at the long-term, common good? • Do we want really unfiltered mass participation in all societies? How about Iraq, the West Bank, and Afghanistan?

  4. WHY DO SOME PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS WHILE MANY DO NOT? • Forget about what people want for a second and think about the big picture… What does it do to governability if most Americans don’t vote, give time, or give money? • How are changes in technology and micro-targeting impacting social voice? How about changes in campaign finance laws?

  5. Are elections the best kind of participation? • What limitations do even democratic elections have on who votes and how? Should ID be required? What registration requirements should there be? Should certain groups be disqualified (e.g., military, homeless, youth, imprisoned, formally imprisoned)? • Should voting be mandatory? Should it be made easier? • Should there be more direct vs. representative democracy? Are referenda, initiatives, & recalls a good idea now that we have the technology? • What positions should be elected? Which shouldn’t? (insulation) • What is “deliberative” democratic participation? • Should we publicly fund elections? What limitations if any should be have on private expenditures? • How—if at all—should we use elections to ensure the political voice of “minorities”?

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