Political Theory Vocabulary

noun a method of reasoning or argumentation that seeks to uncover the truth by embracing and reconciling contradictions

• The study of dialectics in philosophy involves examining the contradictory aspects of a concept in order to reach a deeper understanding.
• We had a lively debate about dialectics in our philosophy class yesterday.
• I'm still trying to wrap my head around all this dialectics stuff, it's pretty confusing.
• The dialectics of life often present us with opposing forces that we must navigate in order to find balance.

noun a political or religious belief that a ruler has been chosen by a god or the gods to rule

adjective related to or coming from a god or gods; sacred or holy

• The king believed in his divine right to rule over the kingdom.
• The queen thinks she has a divine right to get whatever she wants.
• Some people act like they have a divine right to cut in line.
• She felt a divine right to pursue her dreams and achieve success.

noun a right that is believed to be inherent to all human beings, often viewed as existing independently of government or society

• The concept of natural right is often discussed in political philosophy.
• Some people believe that everyone has a natural right to freedom.
• You can't take away my natural right to speak my mind.
• In the animal kingdom, the lion has a natural right to be the king of the jungle.

noun a system of politics or principles based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations

• Realpolitik is a foreign policy approach based on practical considerations rather than ideological principles.
• In the world of politics, Realpolitik often trumps idealism.
• Some politicians prefer to play hardball and use Realpolitik tactics to get what they want.
• In life, sometimes we have to navigate through the murky waters of Realpolitik to achieve our goals.

noun the process by which a person controls their own life and makes their own decisions

• The right to self-determination is a fundamental principle of international law.
• She believes in the importance of self-determination when it comes to making life choices.
• You gotta take control of your own life and practice self-determination.
• In a way, choosing your own path in life is an act of self-determination.

adjective not transferable to another or not capable of being taken away or denied

• The Declaration of Independence states that all men are endowed with certain unalienable rights.
• You have the unalienable right to freedom of speech in this country.
• I ain't giving up my unalienable right to party on the weekends.
• Her unalienable love for animals is evident in the way she cares for her pets.

noun a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

adjective a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red, or technical

adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

conjunction a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause

interjection an abrupt remark, made especially as an aside or interruption

article a particular item or object, typically one of a specified type

• In certain historical contexts, the belief that 'might is right' has been used to justify acts of aggression and conquest.
• Some people believe in the principle of 'might is right' when it comes to getting their way.
• When it comes to street fights, it's often a case of 'might is right'.
• The corporate world can sometimes feel like a place where 'might is right' and the strongest survive.