1. Interest Articulation
Powell, Ch 4

2. Interest Articulation-
The process where people and social groups have some way to express their needs and demands to their government in almost every political system.

3. Examples: Voting, participating in elections
Informal group (focused on a common interest)
Direct contact on a personal matter (writing a letter, asking the council for something, etc- common in democracies as well as authoritarian systems)
Direct contact on policy issue (petition the gov- more often in democracies)
Protests
Political Consumerism (boycotting a product for political reasons- eg, unfair labor practices)

4. How Citizens Can Participate
Vote, convince others to vote, work with political parties
Public efforts to express political interests and influence public policy
Grassroots politics
Community associations
Contentious actions
signing petitions
joining a boycott
participating in protests
Look at table 4,2, Powell, page 59
Discuss levels of participation in various countries

5. Types of Interest Groups
Anomic Groups- groups that suddenly form when many individuals react to an event that stimulates frustration, disappointment, or other strong emotions. A spontaneous group of working-class individuals living in the same neighborhood.
Nonassociational Groups- based on common interests and identities of ethnicity, region, religion, occupation, or kinship. Have more continuity than Anomic Groups. Rarely organized. Episodic activity. The working class as a collective.
Institutional Groups- based in formal organizations that have other political or social functions in addition to interest articulation. Political parties, legislatures, churches, etc, have these groups. The labor department within the government.
Associational Groups- formed explicitly to represent the interests of a particular group. Unions, ethnic orgs, manufacturers’ associations. Very active groups, esp in policy process (like healthcare policy- may have pressure groups and lobbyists from groups representing doctors, insurance orgs, AARP, etc) An association of labor unions.

6. Civil Society
A society in which people are involved in social and political interactions free of state control or regulation.
Important parts of the civil society include: community groups, voluntary associations, religious groups, access to free communication and information (mass media, internet)
Benefits:
Can socialize individuals into the political skills and cooperative relations that are part of a well-functioning society
People learn how to organize, express their interests, and work with others to achieve common goals.
People learn that the political process itself is as important as the immediate results
An active public involved in various interest groups provides a fertile ground for the development of democratic politics.

7. Legitimate vs. Coercive channels of Public Access
Legitimate Access Channels:
Personal connections (? May be a target of corruption)
Mass media / internet
Public relations specialists
Direct advertising
Political parties
Lobbying
Contacts with bureaucratic agencies

8. Political terror tactics: Assassination
Coercive Access Channels and Tactics:
Political violence: (attitude as to whether it is legitimate or not depends on country and system)
Riot
Strikes
Demonstrations
Political terror tactics:
Assassination
Armed attacks on other groups or governmental officials
Mass bloodshed
See Table 4.3, Powell, page 70

9. Review, Think, Write
What are the main types of interest groups? Explain and give an example for each.
How does a ‘civil society’ differ from a non civil society?
What are the consequences when an interest group works through legitimate channels of influence rather than coercive channels?