Assignment2

 **Wiki Assignment #2 **  Rubric:
 * The Sources of Sovereignty, Legitimacy, and Power **

Assignment:

As we discussed during our introductory unit, states are really organizers of power. They control territory by making their people believe that their power is legitimate. While these are abstract concepts, we can make them concrete in each of your countries.

1. Please read the section in the Wood packet on Sovereignty, Authority, and Power. You should thoroughly understand the key ideas presented by Wood: a. Legitimacy b. Political/Historical Traditions c. Political Culture

2. Take the basic ideas presented above and in the Wood packet, and **do more research** on these ideas and present them in a cohesive fashion on the wiki. For example….on the topic of Legitimacy….here is what I expect:

a. Think about what makes this country legitimate. Is it the Constitution? Is it the leader? Is it the religion? You should define the term and expand your knowledge from just the Wood packet. Find ONE additional source which explains the legitimacy of your country. 2. Take the basic ideas presented above and in the Wood packet, and **do more research** on these ideas and present them in a cohesive fashion on the wiki. For example….on the topic of Legitimacy….here is what I expect:

a. Think about what makes this country legitimate. Is it the Constitution? Is it the leader? Is it the religion? You should define the term and expand your knowledge from just the Wood packet. Find ONE additional source which explains the legitimacy of your country.

b. If there is a Constitution….you should try and find it and put it on the wiki. Also….you should READ it! What makes it different from our Constitution? Is there something really interesting about it? (eg the Iranian constitution is really cool)

c. Are there particular terms that Wood uses to explain the legitimacy of your country? ( For example, **democratic centralism** is an important term needed to explain Russian legitimacy.) You should define these terms.

d. Find ONE current events article from a reputable source which you can directly relate to the topic of legitimacy. Attach the article….provide a summary…..and explain how this article highlights and explains legitimacy in a modern context.

On the topic of Historical/Political Traditions….I do not want you to simply restate the history of the country! What is important is the history of the country as it relates to the POLITICS of the country.

a. Present the broad historical trends discussed by Wood. Summarize at least FIVE of the most important historical trends. Find at least ONE ADDITIONAL SOURCE for each one of these trends. Sources should add to the historical debate or provide additional depth on the topic.

b. For each trend, find pictures/video to highlight what she is discussing. For example, military rule is a historical trend in Nigeria. You could find a video clip on the Biafran Civil War.

Regarding, Political Culture……we are looking at what makes these people different from other country’s people? Why do they accept certain kinds of rule, but not others?

a. List and explain all the major political culture trends cited.

b. For each trend, find a picture/video to highlight what she is discussing. For example, in Russia the “Geographic Setting” can explain Russia’s historical yearning to have a warm water port. Perhaps pictures a map of the country or pictures of various regions could be used to highlight and add to your explanation.

c. For EACH trend, find a current events article to explain how this aspect of Political Culture manifests itself in modern society. Attach the article….provide a summary…..and explain how this article highlights and explains legitimacy in a modern context.

There is a lot of work here!!!! You need to do a good job of:

a. Dividing up the work. Know who is doing what.

b. Organizing the work. Ask the librarians if you need help.

c. Taking credit where credit is due. Please put your initials next to any work that you do.

You will have Monday February 8, Tuesday February 9, and Wednesday February 10th to work in class on this. I will grade these pages on Friday February 12th. If your group is having difficulty, please let me know. You can email me at dciamacca@comcast.net or ciamaccad@tesd.net. If someone is NOT pulling their weight…..LET ME KNOW IMMEDIATELY!!!

I have attached a copy of the AP Comparative Government course description as it relates to this section. (see below) You may find this helpful in explaining these big ideas. Also, you should look in your Unit One packet for a list of terms with definitions which will help you to explain some of these topics.

Finally, I have a subscription to the Economist magazine. I will be bringing a stack of old Economists to school for you to look at for Current Events articles. You can also use my subscription to get articles. Simply go to:

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