Lesson Report:
Title
Finishing “The State�: Experiencing State Institutions and Evaluating State Capacity
This seminar wrapped up the “state� unit by moving from definitions to applied analysis. Students first identified concrete, everyday touchpoints with the state, then compared how those touchpoints function in effective, weak, and failed states. The session also previewed upcoming work on federal vs. unitary systems and clarified the field experience requirement tied to public talks.
Attendance
– Absent: 3 students (Erhan, Qawhad, Almanbeck)
Topics Covered
1) Announcements and course logistics (opening, time-sensitive opportunities)
– Ambassador talk: British Ambassador speaking on campus today at 3:30 (career insights + scholarship programs such as Chevening). Attendance encouraged but not graded.
– Public lecture: Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. on campus (topic not specified). Attendance encouraged.
– Field Experience Report (due in November; 15% of course grade): Students must attend at least one public lecture or ambassador talk and ask at least one question that connects to a course topic (e.g., state, public services, power and politics, sovereignty). No extra points for simply attending; requirement is for the report and the in-event question. More details to be provided Tuesday; syllabus has the overview.
2) Rapid review: “Three big questions� guiding the unit on the state
– Q1: Is it a state? Use the class’s five characteristics checklist to decide (system previously developed; not relisted today).
– Q2: How healthy is the state? Classifications reviewed: effective, weak, failed.
– Q3: To be formulated and answered next session (time ran out today).
3) Partner-mixing diagnostic: “Where do you feel the state?�
– Setup: Students paired with someone new (explicit partner reshuffling to avoid frequent pairings). Prompted to greet, learn names, and then produce a concrete, recent way they “see/feel/experienceâ€� the state (not just abstract symbols or culture).
– Valid examples shared (used later for analysis):
– National bank (state institution and regulation of currency/financial infrastructure).
– Passport and documents office (bureaucratic services; IDs, travel documents).
– Courts (judicial power; dispute resolution, enforcement).
– Public schools (state-provided education).
– Military conscription office/service (registration, selection, service conditions).
– Instructor feedback on common confusions:
– Not the state: private print shops; national landscape (mountains); cultural/holiday practices; private telecom services/phone numbers per se.
– How telecom can connect to the state: only through state-owned providers, regulation, spectrum allocation, or core infrastructure decisions—not merely having a number or country code.
4) Group analysis: Comparing experiences across effective, weak, and failed states
Students applied the “state health� typology to their chosen touchpoint, detailing how the citizen experience changes with state capacity.
– Public transportation (city buses)
– Effective state:
– Reliable schedules and adequate route coverage (including beyond the central core).
– Vehicles well-maintained; safety standards enforced; professional drivers.
– Low crime on buses; responsive policing and complaint channels.
– Weak state:
– Buses present but under-provisioned; overcrowding, delays, and patchy coverage.
– Drivers may rush or bend rules, often linked to low wages/incentives.
– Maintenance lagging; safety standards inconsistently applied.
– Failed state:
– Scarce or nonexistent public buses; routes, if any, concentrate in limited “safeâ€� zones in the capital.
– Vehicles in poor condition; frequent breakdowns; high risk of theft or assault due to absent policing.
– State cannot fund repairs or pay personnel adequately; service is unreliable or collapses.
– Taxation (pivot from telecom to tax office/payment)
– Effective state:
– Clear, predictable processes (e.g., payroll deductions; streamlined annual filing portals).
– Professional staff; service standards; transparent rules; timely confirmations/refunds.
– Compliance achieved through a mix of efficient administration, trust, and credible enforcement.
– Weak state:
– Confusing or time-consuming procedures; mixed digitalization; long queues; errors.
– Discretion and inconsistent enforcement; some evasion/bribery; under-resourced staff.
– Revenue leakage reduces service quality elsewhere (visible in downstream state services).
– Failed state:
– Tax collection sporadic or coercive; parallel “pay-to-playâ€� expectations replace formal processes.
– Records incomplete or absent; little to no taxpayer support or transparency.
– Revenues fail to reach public goods; administrative capacity near collapse.
– Conscription/military service
– Effective state (with conscription or a contractual system):
– Professional, courteous staff; clear rules applied equitably; modern, well-kept offices.
– Barracks and equipment maintained; health/safety protections; hazing largely absent.
– Fairness and legality emphasized; oversight mechanisms work.
– Weak state:
– Corruption enables avoiding service through bribes; uneven rule enforcement.
– Low pay drives informal payments; facilities and equipment outdated or under-maintained.
– Administrative competence inconsistent; morale and discipline issues emerge.
– Failed state:
– People may join to secure basic livelihood; everything becomes “pay-to-access.â€�
– Barracks and equipment in poor condition; weak training/discipline.
– Systemic breakdown in fairness, oversight, and logistics.
– Public schools
– Effective state:
– Qualified teachers; reasonable class sizes; updated curricula and materials.
– Clean, well-maintained buildings; functional restrooms; labs/computers; robust libraries and internet access.
– Sufficient funding reaches the school; custodial/maintenance staff present; accountability prevents leakage.
– Weak state:
– Basic services present but under-resourced: outdated books/computers; old/broken furniture; spotty repairs.
– Corruption risks: budget leakage; informal payments for grades or access.
– Cleanliness and maintenance inconsistent; materials insufficient for modern instruction.
– Failed state:
– Schools may exist in name only; severe teacher shortages and minimal instruction.
– Buildings and resources in disrepair; government unable to fund or manage operations.
– Safety concerns and absenteeism widespread; public education barely functional.
– Government buildings (e.g., “White Houseâ€�) prompt
– Students were asked to think about how encountering a major state building differs across effective vs. weak systems (security, accessibility, upkeep, transparency), but discussion was cut short due to time.
5) Closing and next steps
– Did not reach the planned “third questionâ€� on the state; to be taken up next session.
– Homework/prep: Review and understand federal vs. unitary systems from the assigned reading (needed for Tuesday). Instructor will post a reading focus tonight.
Actionable Items
Immediate (time-sensitive)
– Ambassador talk today at 3:30 (AUCA): Encourage attendance; students may attend to observe; not graded extra credit.
– Public lecture tomorrow at 11:00 (AUCA): Encourage attendance and Q&A participation (useful for field experience requirement).
– AUCA Outdoor Club hike (next Sunday, Oct 5): Optional; 15 spots open; register via Instagram @AUCA.outdoor.club; free.
For next class (Tuesday)
– Ensure students have read and can explain federal vs. unitary systems; post the promised reading focus.
– Prepare to introduce and work through the “third questionâ€� of the state unit.
– Present the Field Experience Report brief and rubric:
– Due in November; worth 15%.
– Must attend at least one public lecture/ambassador talk and ask at least one question tied to course topics.
– Clarify acceptable events, documentation needed (e.g., event details, question asked), and consequences for non-completion.
Follow-ups and clarifications
– Quick recap at start of next class of the five characteristics used to identify a state (they were referenced but not re-listed today).
– Address common misattributions from the activity (nation/culture/nature vs. state institutions; private vs. public providers; when a service touches the state via regulation/ownership).
– Consider a brief written reflection or slide from each group summarizing how their touchpoint changes across effective/weak/failed states to consolidate today’s applied analysis.
– Attendance note: 3 absences (Erhan, Qawhad, Almanbeck). Consider sharing a brief recap and homework prompt with them.
Homework Instructions:
” ASSIGNMENT #1: Field Experience Report — Attend a Public Lecture/Ambassador Talk and Ask a Question
You will attend at least one public lecture or ambassador talk and ask at least one question that connects to our course topics (e.g., the state, public services, power and politics, sovereignty). This field experience will help you apply our in-class work on identifying the state and evaluating state “health� (effective/weak/failed) to a real-world setting and will supply the evidence you’ll need for the Field Experience Report due in November.
Instructions:
1) Select an event to attend. Examples mentioned today: the British Ambassador’s talk at 3:30 p.m. today at AUCA and a public lecture at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow. If you can’t make those, there will be more—your requirement is to go at least once before the November deadline. Go sooner rather than later.
2) Prepare your question(s). Review recent topics (the five characteristics of a state; effective vs. weak vs. failed states; public services; sovereignty; power and politics). Draft 2–3 concise questions that clearly link the talk to one of these topics. For example: “Given your remarks on public services, what indicators would you use to judge whether service delivery reflects an effective or weak state?�
3) Attend in person and participate. Arrive early, note the speaker’s name and role, the event title, date/time, and location. During Q&A, ask at least one course-relevant question (this is required for completing the assignment).
4) Document the experience. Take careful notes on key points from the talk, the exact wording of your question, and the substance of the speaker’s answer. If permitted, take a photo of the event/slide or keep a program/announcement as evidence.
5) Connect to course concepts. Immediately after the event, write a brief reflection (bullet points are fine) explaining how the talk illustrated one or more course ideas (e.g., how a court, national bank, conscription office, tax office, or public school reflects the state’s health).
6) Save everything for your report. Keep your notes, evidence, and reflection organized. We will go over the report format and grading details on Tuesday; attending and asking a question are mandatory to be able to complete the November report.
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” ASSIGNMENT #2: Reading Preparation — Federal vs. Unitary Systems (Due before Tuesday)
You will solidify your understanding of the difference between federal and unitary systems from the assigned reading so you’re ready for next week’s session and the reading focus posted tonight. This prepares you to connect structures of the state to the “health� framework we used in class.
Instructions:
1) Read or review the assigned section on federal and unitary systems (the one some of you noted includes the modern Russia/Chechnya example). If you already completed the reading, you’re done with the reading—just ensure you can explain it clearly.
2) Create a quick comparison in your notes:
– Define “federal systemâ€� and “unitary systemâ€� in your own words.
– List 3–5 distinguishing features for each (e.g., allocation of powers, local autonomy, constitutional guarantees).
– Add at least one concrete country example for each type drawn from the reading.
3) Connect to course concepts. Jot down how these structures might affect what we see when we “experience the state� (e.g., differences you might expect in public schools, courts, national banks, tax offices, or conscription practices; implications for effective vs. weak vs. failed states).
4) Prepare to discuss. Be ready to explain the differences and your examples at the start of Tuesday’s session.
5) Complete the Reading Focus activity posted tonight by the stated deadline. Use your notes to answer accurately and succinctly.
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