International Politics Terms Quizzes Latest 2026
With Answers
State
A permanent population; a defined territory; a government; and the capacity to enter into
relations with other states. Also should be recognized by other states as having these qualities.
Levels of Analysis: Individual
Great person theories; accidents of history; processes of decision-making
Levels of Analysis: State/Societal
Regime type; public opinion; social movements; economic development
Levels of Analysis: International/System
Relative power; balance of power; global events
Positive Claim
Analytical explanation, why and how questions; Goal: explicit causal argument (Y happened
because of X)
Normative Claim
Moral position, should questions; Goal: argue for an opinion
Theory
Logically connected conjectures about the world; Derived from observations, can take place at
each level of analysis
, Hypothesis
A falsifiable statement proposing an explanation for a phenomenon; Goal of a positivist claim:
make an explicit causal argument
Nation
A large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a
particular country or territory
Nation-State
A sovereign state whose citizens or subjects are relatively homogeneous in factors such as
language or common descent
Nationalism
The belief that the state and the nation should be congruent
Inclusive Nationalism
E.g. sports teams, Olympics
Exclusive Nationalism
E.g. Nazi Germany (extreme example)
Power
The ability to get someone to do something that they would not otherwise do
Sovereignty
With Answers
State
A permanent population; a defined territory; a government; and the capacity to enter into
relations with other states. Also should be recognized by other states as having these qualities.
Levels of Analysis: Individual
Great person theories; accidents of history; processes of decision-making
Levels of Analysis: State/Societal
Regime type; public opinion; social movements; economic development
Levels of Analysis: International/System
Relative power; balance of power; global events
Positive Claim
Analytical explanation, why and how questions; Goal: explicit causal argument (Y happened
because of X)
Normative Claim
Moral position, should questions; Goal: argue for an opinion
Theory
Logically connected conjectures about the world; Derived from observations, can take place at
each level of analysis
, Hypothesis
A falsifiable statement proposing an explanation for a phenomenon; Goal of a positivist claim:
make an explicit causal argument
Nation
A large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a
particular country or territory
Nation-State
A sovereign state whose citizens or subjects are relatively homogeneous in factors such as
language or common descent
Nationalism
The belief that the state and the nation should be congruent
Inclusive Nationalism
E.g. sports teams, Olympics
Exclusive Nationalism
E.g. Nazi Germany (extreme example)
Power
The ability to get someone to do something that they would not otherwise do
Sovereignty
