POL 166
Professor Murdaco
December 12, 2015
Joan Callahan

Assignment # 10

Choose a passage from this weeks assigned readings and explain the meaning of the passage and why you chose this passage.


Taken from The Logic of Collective Action, by Mancur Olson, 1971

        The casual variant of the theory assumed a propensity to belong to groups without drawing
any distinctions between groups of different size. Though the more sophisticated variant may be credited with drawing a distinction between those functions that can best be served by small groups
and those that can best be served by large associations, it nonetheless assumes that, when there is a need for a large association, a large association will tend to emerge and attract members, just as a small group will when there is a need for a small group. Thus in so far as the traditional theory draws any distinction at all between small and large groups, it is apparently with respect to the scale of the functions they perform, not the extent they succeed in performing these functions or their capacity to attract members. It assumes that small and large groups differ in degree, but not in kind.


       This passage discusses the casual variant of the theory of group participation as an instinctual need to belong as opposed to the formal variant which is that individuals need to be coerced into participation. I subscribe to the former in that we are, as individuals drawn to a group to fulfill our own intrinsic need to be apart of a group along with the passion towards a cause or goal. The size of the group, I do believe matters because smaller groups do have a more free flowing exchange due to a more narrow focus of needs. I have seen that when smaller groups have reached their limit due to the small number of participants they reach out to become members of larger associations because there is strength in numbers. The dynamics change within larger associations and coercion becomes more necessary to due the detachment that occurs among individuals in larger groups.When this occurs the smaller group must embrace the overall ideology of the association and quite possibly abandon some of their own goals to reach the goals for the sake of the greater good. I chose this passage because there is a combination of both the casual and formal  variants within both small and large groups but if a distinction must be made their is a stronger  prevalence of instinctual need in small groups and  coercion more prevalent in large groups.

POL 166
Prof. Murdaco
December 05, 2015
Joan Callahan
Assignment # 9

Choose a passage from one of the posted readings and explain how the decision was made and why you chose it and why you believe this case is important.


Brown V Board of Education 1953-1954

Despite the equalization of the school by "objective" factors, intangible issues foster and maintain inequality. Racial segregation in public education has a detrimental effect on minority children because it is interpreted as a sign of inferiority. the long-held doctrine that separate facilities were permissible provided they were equal was rejected. Separate but equal is inherently unequal in the context of public education. the unanimous opinion sounded the death-knell for all forms of state-maintained racial separation.


"Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1)." Oyez. Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Tech, n.d. Dec 5, 2015. <https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483> 

I chose this passage because it changed the cultural outlook for the entire country.  This decision paved the way for the Civil Rights movement.  Although we still struggle as a country  with disparity and inequality among our many races and cultures, this decision allowed for the enforcement of these civil rights for all. We can see the forward momentum, albeit slow momentum, toward embracing the many cultures of our countries inhabitants. We have seen the rights of minorities which include race, sex, age, and sexual preference come to the forefront of our Judicial system and triumph over discrimination and adversity. We still have a long way to go in ensuring that every inhabitant of this country is afforded equal rights but we are on the right path.