Study Questions

  1. What is the comparative method, and how is it useful for understanding variance between and among the states?
  2. Discuss factors that contribute to policy differences between, among, and within states.
  3. Compare and contrast the three types of political culture. Why is an understanding of political culture important for understanding state and local politics?
  4. What is devolution? Why are the states called “laboratories of democracy”?
  5. Why are some states more innovative than others when it comes to public policy making?