Who is the current Prime Minister of Canada?
Mark Carney
Which country is known for having a political system called apartheid, which legally enforced racial segregation until the early 1990s?
South Africa
Who wrote The Communist Manifesto with Friedrich Engels?
Karl Marx
What is a political “echo chamber”?
An environment where people are mainly exposed to political opinions and information that reinforce their existing beliefs.
What does “MP” stand for in Canadian politics?
Member of Parliament
How many provinces does Canada have?
10
What is the capital of Australia?
Canberra
Which philosopher famously wrote about the “state of nature” and the “social contract”?
Thomas Hobbes
What is a “filibuster” in U.S. politics?
A tactic used to delay/block legislation, traditionally through extended debate
True or False: You have to be a Political Science major to join the UBC Political Science Association.
False!
What are the three branches of the Canadian federal government?
Executive, legislative, and judicial
Which international organization has its headquarters in New York and was founded after WWII to promote international cooperation?
The United Nations
Who wrote The Republic and gave us the famous “Allegory of the Cave”?
Plato
What does “left” vs. “right” generally refer to in politics?
Different ideological/political positions, with the left generally associated with greater equality/social change and the right with tradition/hierarchy/conservatism
Name two career paths that a Political Science degree can lead to.
Law, government, public policy, journalism, diplomacy, NGOs, business, academia, etc.
What document contains Canada's fundamental rights and freedoms?
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
What is NATO?
A military/political alliance of countries in Europe and North America
Which philosopher argued that people should be free to pursue their own lives as long as they don't harm others?
John Stuart Mill
What is political polarization?
When political opinions/groups become increasingly divided or extreme
What is comparative politics primarily concerned with?
Comparing political systems, institutions, governments, and political behavior across countries
In Canada, what does a party need to win a majority government in the House of Commons?
At least 172 of 343 seats
The term “soft power” is most closely associated with which political scientist?
Joseph Nye
Which political philosopher famously argued that humans are “born free” but are constrained by society?
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
What is the “bandwagon effect” in politics?
The tendency for people to adopt a view or support a candidate because they believe many others are doing so
You want to study how climate change policy affects Indigenous communities, governments, and environmental regulation. Name two political science areas/subfields you could potentially draw on.
Environmental politics, Indigenous politics, public policy, Canadian politics, comparative politics, political theory, etc.