Glossary
Abstraction A conceptual and practical process that mystifies and conceals
underlying social relationships.
Affirmative action The apparent departure from equal treatment in order to help
disadvantaged groups. Affirmative action is also known as reverse discrimination
or positive discrimination.
Anarchism A theory that seeks to abolish the state, but adopts statist tools of
analysis and hence enjoys no success.
Atomistic An approach that treats individuals and entities in purely discrete terms
and ignores the relationships between them.
Authority An exercise of power in which the moral status of the person exercising
the power comes to the fore and is seen as legitimate.
Behaviouralism An argument that sees human and natural activity as similar, and
hence asks that the study of politics be presented as a ‘natural science’.
Capitalism A system of production that divides society into those who can hire
the services of others, and those who are compelled to work for an employer.
Citizen A person able to govern their own life. Citizenship is an emancipatory
situation towards which we move, but can never actually reach.
Civic nationalism The view that nations can be held together by civic ties, such
as willingness to participate in legal and political institutions. The alternative view
is ethnic nationalism.
Civil disobedience Lawbreaking on moral grounds.
Class An identity that divides people based upon economic, social, regional,
religious, gender, ethnic and other differences.
Coercion A concept and practice that is close to, but not the same as, force.
Coercion involves a threat to use force where this force is credible.
Communitarianism A theory that stresses that all people belong to communities
and can only identify themselves in relations with others.