IR 6634: Traditions, Revolutions and Change

Final Exam Question Pool

Spring 2009

Your exam will consist of three of the following: One required questions and two from which you will choose one.

All responses should encompass the appropriate literature from class—including references to specific cases of violence or revolution.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Define revolution and distinguish it from other forms of collective political violence. Your response should utilize various readings from the course.

Dix and Shugart both discuss different types of revolution. Summarize their basic arguments and assess their positions.

Evaluate the following statement: revolutions aren’t made, they happen. In your response provide adequate theoretical evidence to back your evaluation.

What is the structuralist-voluntarist debate in regards to revolutions?

Foran and DeFronzo both list five variables that they believe explain why revolutions happen and do not happen. Compare and evaluate these variables. Do the lists work well together, or are they at odds? Ultimately, how well do they help us understand revolutionary violence?

Evaluate the Foran, et al. volume (citing specific authors) in terms of its purpose in evaluating revolutions in a post-Cold War world.