GOVT 330 Discussion 4
Liberty GOVT 330 Discussion 4 Answers
Topic: Simulation Turns 3 and 4
Choose 1 of the following prompts to answer in your thread (do not answer both):
1. After carefully reading chapter 10 in Klesner’s Comparative Politics: An Introduction and after watching the presentation this week, describe the key concepts of Islamism (pp. 213–223 in the Klesner textbook) and its current role in the world. In addition, after reading about the many types of Islam, including democratizing secularists, do you believe that it is likely or unlikely that the world’s leading Muslim countries can find ways to promote freedom and security with the requirements of democracy described in Klesner’s book, particularly the ten conditions of democracy described in Chapter 7? In other words, do you think Islam is fundamentally incompatible with democracy as was described in previous chapters like 7 and 10 in Klesner’s book? The ten conditions of democracy discussed in Klesner’s Comparative Politics: An Introduction are:
- Elites Committed to Democracy
- State Institutions
- National Unity
- National Wealth
- Private Enterprise
- A Middle Class
- Support of the Disadvantaged for Democracy
- Citizen Participation, Civil Society, and a Democratic Political Culture
- Education and Freedom of Information
- A Favorable International Environment
2. In the secular/rationalist worldview, there is a perception that there is no higher authority above states, unless the secular proponents think that international organizations like theInternational Court of Justice serve as high authorities (but that is questionable because each state can choose to submit to the higher authority of an international organization or choose not to do that). However, through the lens of the secular worldview, the world of Statecraft meets the realists’ definition of anarchy. Explain precisely how the anarchic nature of the simulation has affected the interactions between states (using specific examples from your experience). Is it possible to (at least partially) overcome the negative effects of anarchy in Statecraft? If so, how? On the other hand, a Christian or Muslim might view the world from a Christian worldview or Islamic/Muslim worldview. If that were the case, what are the implications for real world politics? See Chapter 7 in Berger’s textbook, “Political Islam and the Worldview of Islamic Groups.” Also, think about what is discussed in Martin’s Prevailing Worldviews of Western Society Since 1500 about the biblical worldview and the rationalist worldview.