Lesson Report:
Title
Seeing the State: Concrete Indicators of Effective, Weak, and Failed States; Sovereignty and Unitary vs. Federal Organization
In this session, students practiced “seeing� the state through everyday institutions (courts, schools, banks, currency, bureaucracy, symbols) and analyzed how each looks in effective, weak, and failed states. The class then connected state capacity to sovereignty and the organization of power, contrasting unitary and federal systems, and applied these ideas in a short exit-ticket activity.
Attendance
Number of students mentioned absent: 5
Topics Covered (chronological)
1) Announcements and logistics
– Public lectures (ICP Department):
– Today: British ambassador at 3:30 pm (encouraged to attend and ask a question).
– Tomorrow: Visiting scholar at 11:00 am.
– Major assignment preview: Field Reflection Paper
– Students must attend at least one of the public lectures and ask a question; full brief to be given Tuesday.
– Purpose: acclimate students to public events and question-asking.
– AUCA Outdoor Club (instructor-led; optional/co-curricular):
– Hike to the flagpole behind AUCA next Sunday (Oct 5); free; meet near Jannat Hotel; ~1 hour walk.
– Sign-up/info: Instagram @AUCA.Outdoor.Club (with periods).
2) Community warm-up and partner setup
– Students paired with someone new (groups of three as needed).
– Task 1 (icebreaker): Greet partner and ask about their morning.
– Task 2 (thinking prompt): Identify one non-police way we “see/experienceâ€� the state in daily life.
3) Quick review: Three levels of “state health�
– Effective state: Institutions largely work as intended.
– Weak state: Persistent institutional problems impede key functions (corruption, underfunding, poor implementation).
– Failed state: State authority and institutions collapse or barely function.
4) Partner task: Map your example across effective, weak, failed
– Instruction: For the chosen manifestation of the state, describe how it would appear/function in an effective vs. weak vs. failed state. Emphasis on concrete, observable indicators (how citizens would actually experience it), not abstract labels.
5) Group share-outs with instructor prompts (operationalizing indicators)
Note: Instructor consistently pushed students to move from abstract claims (e.g., “respect,� “authority,� “modern�) to concrete evidence (what you would see, feel, or experience; causal reasons like funding, incentives, rules, and enforcement).
– Courts/justice
– Effective:
– Judges apply written law; rulings are executed (e.g., convicted offenders are actually jailed; acquitted parties released).
– No outside interference (wealthy/political actors cannot alter outcomes).
– Weak:
– Corruption manifests in case outcomes (e.g., wealthy defendant bribes judge; inappropriate/no punishment despite evidence).
– Rule of law uneven; some rulings disregarded.
– Failed:
– Courts absent, powerless, or threatened; judges face violence for decisions.
– Citizens resort to vigilantism; judicial decisions, if issued, are not enforced.
– Public schools and universities
– Effective:
– No bribery for grades; assessment reflects performance.
– Adequate public funding: professional teacher training, up-to-date curriculum, functional facilities (clean toilets, maintained buildings, equipment like smart boards).
– Diplomas have recognized value; educational practices align with current needs.
– Weak:
– Chronic underfunding or misallocated funds: buildings in disrepair, lack of equipment.
– Teacher quality/content mismatches; low pay saps motivation; potential for buying grades.
– Causal drivers: low budgetary priority, leakage of funds, and a self-reinforcing cycle of poor training producing underprepared teachers.
– Failed:
– Public school system largely absent or symbolic; minimal/no state funding; widespread institutional collapse.
– National symbols (flags)
– Effective:
– Flags are visible, maintained, and predictably placed in public institutions and spaces; symbol aligns with general legitimacy.
– Weak:
– Flags still present, but increasingly associated with negative connotations (corruption/poor performance); visible wear/neglect possible.
– Harder to quantify; legitimacy begins to fray though state still signals presence.
– Failed:
– Flags may be absent, in disrepair, or competing (multiple factions/authorities, each with its own flag).
– Public space reflects fragmentation of authority.
– Language (initial idea refined by instructor)
– Instructor push: Don’t treat language use by society as the indicator; focus on how the state uses language.
– Effective: Consistent official-language policy in state functions (laws, courts, IDs, signage), and capacity to implement it.
– Weak/Failed: Inconsistency or inability to implement official-language policy across territory; state documentation and services become irregular or fragment across authorities.
– State bank and financial services
– Effective:
– Clean, functioning facilities; knowledgeable staff; routine transactions reliable.
– Security proportional to risk; depositor confidence high (money available on demand; protected from political interference).
– Weak:
– Periodic “crisesâ€�: withdrawal limits or refusals; depositors fear money won’t be available later.
– Causes: corruption or political pressure siphoning funds; lax oversight; weak constraints on insiders.
– Failed:
– Banks may not exist or operate minimally under heavy military-style protection.
– Basic electronics/services often nonfunctional; environment signals pervasive insecurity.
– Currency stability
– Effective:
– National currency stable; people comfortably hold and transact in it; property/contract rights predictable.
– Weak:
– Households prefer hard currency (USD/EUR); inflation and policy volatility erode trust.
– Failed:
– Hyperinflation or currency collapse; national currency barely accepted; barter or foreign currency predominates.
– Government service centers/bureaucracy
– Effective:
– Orderly, well-maintained facilities; professional staff; electronic queuing; clear procedures; predictable timelines.
– Weak:
– Disorganized lines, line-cutting; deteriorated buildings; low staff morale; reliance on informal payments.
– Root causes: underfunding, poor incentives, weak internal controls.
– Failed:
– Offices closed or nonfunctional; services unavailable or captured by armed actors/locals.
6) Transition mini-lecture: From state capacity to sovereignty and organization of power
– Refresher: Five characteristics of the state (referenced from prior session); focus today on:
– Monopoly on legitimate force.
– Sovereignty: ultimate authority over territory; not answerable to external states.
– Organizing sovereignty: Unitary vs. Federal systems (high-level typology)
– Unitary:
– Central government (capital) holds ultimate decision authority; regional/local officials answer upward.
– Federal:
– Constitutionally defined power shared across central and regional governments; regions have autonomous decision rights in specified domains.
– Why it matters (practical example):
– As an external investor (e.g., opening a restaurant in Talas), you must know which authority can grant permits—central ministry vs. regional governor—depending on whether the system is unitary or federal.
7) Exit-ticket group activity (Telegram submission)
– Group 1: “A failed state is what happens when the state loses its monopoly on force. This looks like …â€� (Provide concrete indicators—e.g., multiple armed groups, vigilantism, judges threatened.)
– Group 2: “A weak state is supposed to maintain its sovereignty over its whole territory. This looks like …â€� (Indicators of partial control—e.g., regions with spotty enforcement, negotiated presence, local strongmen.)
– Group 3: “The difference between a federal state and a unitary state is how it organizes its sovereignty. In a unitary system, …â€� (Describe centralized authority and implications.)
– Group 4: “A state’s international recognition is strong when it is an effective state. It can become fragile in a failed state, which looks like …â€� (E.g., contested borders, rival authorities claiming recognition, inability to fulfill international obligations.)
– Submission instruction: Send the completed sentence(s) in the class Telegram chat before leaving.
Actionable Items
Time-sensitive (today–tomorrow)
– Public lectures for Field Reflection Paper:
– Today 3:30 pm: British ambassador (ICP Department). Attend and prepare one substantive question.
– Tomorrow 11:00 am: Visiting scholar talk (ICP). Attend if possible and prepare a question.
– Bring brief notes (what was asked/answer) to support Tuesday’s assignment discussion.
Before next class (Tuesday)
– Field Reflection Paper prep:
– Expect full assignment brief and grading criteria; ensure you have attended at least one talk and asked a question.
– Save any proof of attendance and your question (notes, photo if permitted).
– Concept consolidation:
– Prepare one new, concrete example of “seeing the stateâ€� (not police) and be ready to map it across effective/weak/failed with observable indicators.
– Exit-ticket follow-through:
– If any group did not submit their finished sentence in Telegram, submit it now.
Instructor follow-ups
– Review exit-ticket responses:
– Curate exemplary concrete indicators; identify recurring abstraction errors (e.g., “respect,â€� “modernâ€�) and prepare quick feedback notes.
– Assignment logistics:
– Share written brief/rubric for the Field Reflection Paper on Tuesday; specify how attendance/questions will be verified.
– Pedagogical next steps:
– Plan a short segment on operationalizing legitimacy and language policy as state actions (e.g., signage, IDs, court/administrative language) to move students from abstract to measurable indicators.
– Prepare a concise primer contrasting unitary vs. federal using local/regional cases for clarity.
– Non-course announcement clarity:
– Confirm date/time/meeting point for Oct 5 hike; post sign-up link; note it is optional and non-credit.
Notes
– Five students were recorded absent during roll call.
Homework Instructions:
ASSIGNMENT #1: Attend a Public Lecture and Ask a Question (Pre-work for Field Reflection Paper)
You will attend at least one of the two public lectures announced in class and ask a question during the Q&A. This experience will be used for your upcoming Field Reflection Paper (a major course assignment) and connects to our current themes on effective vs. weak vs. failed states, sovereignty, and how citizens experience state institutions.
Instructions:
1) Choose your event:
– Option A (Today): British ambassador’s public lecture at the ICP department, 3:30 p.m.
– Option B (Tomorrow): Public lecture with a scholar at 11:00 a.m.
You need to attend at least one; attending both is encouraged if you can.
2) Prepare your question before you go. Draft 1–2 concise questions you would feel comfortable asking. As noted in class: “Ask him something that you think is important about politics or about the country. Any and all things are good.� You may draw on our course themes (e.g., state effectiveness, corruption and institutions, sovereignty, public services, legitimacy, currency stability).
3) Arrive early. Plan to be in the room a few minutes before the start time so you can find a seat and be ready for Q&A.
4) Listen actively. Take note of the speaker’s main points, examples, and any references to the role of the state, institutions, or public policy—these will be useful for your Field Reflection Paper.
5) Ask your question during Q&A. When the time comes, raise your hand and ask clearly and respectfully. If both lectures have Q&A and you attend both, ask at least one question across the two events.
6) Capture the essentials for later use. Immediately after the talk, jot down:
– Event: date, time, location, speaker name/role
– The question you asked (as you asked it) and a brief summary of the answer you received
– 2–3 observations that connect the talk to our course themes (e.g., examples of effective vs. weak institutions, sovereignty in practice, legitimacy, public services like courts/banks/schools)
7) Be ready for Tuesday. We will introduce the Field Reflection Paper and explain exactly how to use this experience in that assignment. Bring your notes so you can contribute and get started effectively.
8) Reminder of purpose. This assignment is meant to “get you used to going to these activities� and “get used to asking questions,� as you will need to do so for the Field Reflection Paper.