International relations and political science

Political science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government, and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political system and political behavior. Political scientists "see themselves engaged in revealing the relationships underlying political events and conditions, and from these revelations they attempt to construct general principles about the way the world of politics works." Political science intersects with other fields; including anthropology, public policy, national politics, economics, international relations, comparative politics, psychology, sociology, history, law, and political theory. Although it was codified in the 19^th century, when all the social sciences were established, political science has ancient roots; indeed, it originated almost 2,500 years ago with the works of Plato and Aristotle.

Political science is commonly divided into three distinct sub-disciplines which together constitute the field: political philosophy, comparative politics and international relations. Political philosophy is the reasoning for an absolute normative government, laws and similar questions and their distinctive characteristics. Comparative politics is the science of comparison and teaching of different types of constitutions, political actors, legislature and associated fields, all of them from an intrastate perspective. International relations deals with the interaction between nation-states as well as intergovernmental and transnational organizations.

Reading comprehension exercises:

1. Read the text, make up a plan and write down the key words.
2. Put ten questions to the text.

3. What do you know about Aristotle and Plato?

4. Translate the following words and word-combinations into Ukrainian: to be concerned with, legislature, distinctive characteristics, ancient roots, to originate, to reveal the relationships underlying political events and conditions.

5. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following Ukrainian word-combinations: суспільна наука, міжурядові організації, політична поведінка, політологи, побудувати загальні принципи, перетинатися, взаємодія між націями-державами.

1. Retell the text.
2. Give the summary of the text

GLOBALIZATION

Text 1

“Globalisation” as a term

Globalisation (or globalization) is a modern term used to describe the changes in societies and the world economy that result from dramatically increased international trade and cultural exchange. It describes the increase of trade and investing due to the falling of barriers and the interdependence of countries. In specifically economic contexts, it is often understood to refer almost exclusively to the effects of trade, particularly trade liberalization or “free trade”. Between 1910 and 1950, a series of political and economic upheavals dramatically reduced the volume and importance of international trade flows. But starting with WWI and continuing through WWII, when the Bretton Woods institutions were created, globalization trends reversed. In the Post-World War II environment, fostered by the economic institutions and rebuilding programmes, international trade dramatically expanded. With the 1970s, the effects of this trade became increasingly visible, both in terms of the benefits and the disruptive effects.

Although all three aspects are closely intertwined, it is useful to distinguish economic, political and cultural aspects of globalization. The other key aspect of globalization is the changes in technology, particularly in transport and communication, which is claimed are creating “a global village”.

Reading comprehension exercises:

1. Read the text, make up a plan and write down the key words.
2. Put ten questions to the text.
3. Explain the meaning of ‘ the Bretton Woods institutions’
4. Translate the following words and word-combinations into Ukrainian: dramatically increased international trade, closely intertwined, increasingly visible, disruptive effects, falling of barriers.
5. Translate the following words and phrases into English: описати зміни в суспільстві,за сприяння (економічних інститутів), розрізняти, культурні аспекти, вплив торгівлі.
6. Retell the text.
7. Give the summary of the text

Text 2

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14