Political science is the study of how political systems work and how public policy is formed, as well as the analysis of political activity.
political science
Political science is a social science discipline that deals with the study of government, politics, and power. It has several branches, each of which concentrates on a specific field in political knowledge. Political scientists are interested in how political actors use diverse methods to achieve their objectives, often focusing on how key political institutions work and how they can be analyzed. Different approaches include historical political analysis (also known as cliometrics), rational choice theory, behavioralism or structuralism.
Political scientists study political behavior and the origin, development and functioning of political systems. They also study the effects of public policy on social welfare and economic development, especially in developing countries.
Political science has four major subfields: political theory, public administration, public law, and comparative politics.
Political science is the study of the most general and abstract questions about politics. The subfields of political science are different ways of asking, answering, and examining those questions.
Political theory is the study of the most general and abstract questions about politics. It’s not exactly synonymous with philosophy; rather than thinking about specific political issues, it’s more concerned with defining concepts like justice or freedom and analyzing them in a rigorous way. This approach can take many forms—some scholars focus on conceptual analysis, while others focus on historical or sociological studies of how different societies have understood these concepts over time (sometimes called “comparative history”).
Political science tends to be dominated more by abstract rather than empirical considerations.
In political science, concepts are often more important than empirical research. While political scientists may engage in empirical studies, these are not the main focus of their work. Instead, political science tends to be dominated more by abstract rather than empirical considerations.
The emphasis on concepts and theory is both a strength and weakness of the discipline. On the one hand, political scientists are able to produce theories about politics that can be applied across many different situations. For example, if a politician wants to know how to best appeal to their constituents or how to convince voters that they should get elected, they can consult with political scientists who have studied these issues in great detail.
The study of politics centers around states as the primary actors in international relations.
The study of politics centers around states as the primary actors in international relations. International relations is a discipline that analyzes the interaction between states. It examines how these interactions affect domestic affairs, both politically and economically. In this way, it is different from domestic politics, which deals with individuals rather than groups like nations or governments.
International relations focuses on state behavior as well as how different organizations interact with one another (for example: intergovernmental organizations or NGOs). This can be done through peaceful means such as trade agreements between two countries or through violent measures like military action taken by one country against another.
Politics as an academic discipline evolved largely out of ethics and political philosophy.
Politics is a social science that involves the study of government and political processes.
Politics as an academic discipline evolved largely out of ethics and political philosophy. In particular, it draws on the work of Western philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato, Confucius and Sun Tzu; Eastern thinkers such as Mahavira and Chanakya; Muslim scholars such as Al-Farabi (c. 872–950), Ibn Rushd (1126–1198), Averroes (1126–1198) and Avicenna (980–1037); contemporary philosophers including Karl Popper, John Rawls and Robert Nozick; anarchist thinkers like Mikhail Bakunin; Marxist political theorists like Antonio Gramsci or Vladimir Lenin; among others.
The following are some key areas that are studied within the field:
Conclusion
Political science is the study of politics, or how people make decisions about government and other forms of collective action. Political scientists look at topics like voting behavior, public opinion, party systems and political participation.