Political theory has evolved from a focus on the ___ to a broader understanding that transcends traditional political and social boundaries.

State and government

True or False: The relationship between empirical and normative aspects of political theory has remained static over time.

False. The relationship has changed, with a growing agreement on their mutual engagement.

Theory is defined as ___ that seeks to impose order or meaning upon phenomena.

An explanatory proposition or a set of ideas

True or False: All explanations qualify as theories.

False. Not all explanations are theories; theories delve deeper and encompass broader evaluative questions.

True or False: Social theories are entirely speculative and do not rely on empirical evidence.

False. Social theories should be grounded in empirical phenomena and lived experiences, not purely speculative.

Conceptual sensitivity involves examining the ___ of concepts and their relationships.

Internal structure

What are the four common characteristics identified by Shaun Best that all social theories possess?

An epistemology, an ontology, a historical location, and a set of prescriptions.

Political theory has evolved to recognize politics as a site of ___ and ___.

Conflicting values and interests

True or False: Contemporary political theory focuses solely on the structure of government and ignores social dynamics.

False. Contemporary political theory incorporates social dynamics and power relations beyond just government structures.

Political theory is believed to have originated during the ___ period, specifically fostered by the ___ in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Modern; Enlightenment

True or False: The decline of political theory in the 1950s and 1960s was attributed to the rise of normative political theory.

False; it was attributed to the rise of empiricism, logical positivism, and behavioralism.

Political philosophy during the time faced challenges primarily due to ___ and ___ influences.

Positivism and experiences from Nazism and Stalinism

True or False: The decline of political theory in the 1970s was attributed to a lack of new works.

False. The decline was not due to a lack of works but because it did not conform to established meanings of the discipline.

Contemporary political theory is primarily characterized by its ___ dimension.

Moral

True or False: The pluralism of ideas in political theory has been universally accepted without contention.

False

Pluralism is contested in political theory.

• Debates on political ideologies persist.

• Feminism critiques traditional views.

• Critical race theory challenges norms.

Political theory has evolved from its decline to a ___ field that engages critically with competing values and interests.

Robust