Iran: Ayatollah Theocracy Twelver Shiism Vilayat-e Faghih (jurist's guardianship) Imam Shari’a Dual Society Constitutional Revolution White Revolution Islamic Revolution Iranian Revolutionary Guard (Pasdaran) Rentier state Resource curse Maslahat Green Movement reformers vs. conservatives Majmu’eh (Society of the Militant Clergy) vs. Jam’eh (Association of the Militant Clergy) Iman Jum'ehs Hojjat al-Islams Powers and roles of Guardian Council, Supreme Leader, Majles, President, Expediency Council and Assembly of Religious Experts 1. Discuss the source of the legitimacy problem associated with “earthly” regimes in Shia Islam prior to Khomeini’s book, Vilayat-e Faghih. How does Khomeini’s revision of this allow for the establishment of a theocracy within this country?  2. Describe in detail how Iran combines theocracy with democracy in its governmental system. Assess the relative balance between these two forces. 3. What are some of the ways in which the oil industry has advanced or distorted development in Iran? 4. List the steps in the electoral process used to elect the Iranian president.  What is considered to be the main obstacle to fair elections in Iran? 5. What are the powers and limitations of Iran’s parliament? 6. What are the most important political challenges that now face Iran? Mexico: Mestizo Ejidos maquiladoras import substituting industrialization (ISI) parastatal clientelism state capitalism Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) National Action Party (PAN) Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) NAFTA el dedazo sexenio amparos 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act Corporatist state Anticlericalism Porfiriato Accommodation 1. What is the PRI? Describe how it has traditionally dominated the Mexican political system. List the other main political parties and briefly discuss their general platforms and typical supporters. 2. Describe the process of el dedazo. Describe two reasons why this process is no longer utilized in Mexico. 3. Mexico’s political system was traditionally characterized as a “hyper-presidential” system. What formed the basis for this characterization? Is this characterization still true? (Make sure to support your argument here.) 4. Are state institutions like the military and the judiciary truly independent of the executive branch of government? In what ways have these institutions promoted or hindered the growth of democracy in recent years? 5. What are the power bases of the main political parties in Mexican politics? What factors made it possible for the PAN to unseat the long-dominant PRI in 2000? What accounts for the continuing viability of the PRI as a political force? 6. What challenges does the process of globalization pose to Mexican’s strong sense of national identity? .

1. Iran:
Ayatollah
Theocracy
Twelver Shiism
Vilayat-e Faghih (jurist's guardianship)
Imam
Shari’a
Dual Society
Constitutional Revolution
White Revolution
Islamic Revolution
Iranian Revolutionary Guard (Pasdaran)
Rentier state
Resource curse
Maslahat
Green Movement
reformers vs. conservatives
Majmu’eh (Society of the Militant Clergy) vs. Jam’eh
(Association of the Militant Clergy)
Iman Jum'ehs
Hojjat al-Islams
Powers and roles of Guardian Council, Supreme Leader, Majles,
President, Expediency Council and Assembly of Religious
Experts
1. Discuss the source of the legitimacy problem associated with
“earthly” regimes in Shia Islam prior to Khomeini’s book,
Vilayat-e Faghih. How does Khomeini’s revision of this allow
for the establishment of a theocracy within this country?
2. Describe in detail how Iran combines theocracy with
democracy in its governmental system. Assess the relative
balance between these two forces.
3. What are some of the ways in which the oil industry has
advanced or distorted development in Iran?

2. 4. List the steps in the electoral process used to elect the Iranian
president. What is considered to be the main obstacle to fair
elections in Iran?
5. What are the powers and limitations of Iran’s parliament?
6. What are the most important political challenges that now
face Iran?
Mexico:
Mestizo
Ejidos
maquiladoras
import substituting industrialization (ISI)
parastatal
clientelism
state capitalism
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)
National Action Party (PAN)
Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD)
NAFTA
el dedazo
sexenio
amparos
1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act
Corporatist state
Anticlericalism
Porfiriato
Accommodation
1. What is the PRI? Describe how it has traditionally
dominated the Mexican political system. List the other main
political parties and briefly discuss their general platforms and
typical supporters.
2. Describe the process of el dedazo. Describe two reasons why
this process is no longer utilized in Mexico.
3. Mexico’s political system was traditionally characterized as a

3. “hyper-presidential” system. What formed the basis for this
characterization? Is this characterization still true? (Make sure
to support your argument here.)
4. Are state institutions like the military and the judiciary truly
independent of the executive branch of government? In what
ways have these institutions promoted or hindered the growth of
democracy in recent years?
5. What are the power bases of the main political parties in
Mexican politics? What factors made it possible for the PAN to
unseat the long-dominant PRI in 2000? What accounts for the
continuing viability of the PRI as a political force?
6. What challenges does the process of globalization pose to
Mexican’s strong sense of national identity?