Branches of Political Science Overview

Branches of Political Science

• Political science studies power, governance, and political behavior.
• It includes political theory, comparative politics, international relations, and public administration.
• Political theory examines justice, liberty, and the state.
• Comparative politics analyzes political systems across countries and cultures.
• International relations studies interactions among states and global actors.
• Public administration focuses on implementing government policies and programs.
• Political methodology involves research design and analysis techniques.

Key Concepts in Political Science

• Power is influencing behavior, often through coercion or persuasion.
• Authority is the legitimate right to power, based on tradition, law, or will.
• Legitimacy is acceptance of power as rightful.
• Sovereignty is supreme authority over a territory and people.
• Citizenship is belonging to a political community, with rights and responsibilities.
• Democracy is a system where power resides with the people, often through elections.
• Authoritarianism concentrates power in the hands of a few, with limited freedoms.
• Totalitarianism is extreme authoritarianism, controlling all aspects of life.
• Ideologies are systems of beliefs shaping political goals and actions.

Political Systems

• Political systems include democratic (e.g., parliamentary, presidential), authoritarian (e.g., monarchies, dictatorships), and hybrid systems.
• Each system has unique characteristics regarding government structure, citizen roles, and policy-making.
• The political system chosen often impacts individual rights and freedoms.

Political Behavior

• Political behavior involves individual and group participation in politics.
• This includes voting, campaigning, protesting, and lobbying.
• Political behavior is influenced by factors such as attitudes, party affiliation, and socioeconomic status.
• Political psychology examines psychological influences on behavior.
• Political sociology examines social forces shaping behavior.

International Relations

• International relations focus on interactions between states and other global actors.
• Key areas include diplomacy, international law, conflict/peace studies, globalization, international organizations (e.g., UN, NATO), and war/peace studies.
• Interactions involve the interplay of power, interests, and values.

Public Administration

• Public administration implements government policies and programs.
• It involves managing government resources and personnel.
• Public administration research assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of public organizations.
• It analyzes policy implementation challenges and governance improvements, including relationships with citizens, businesses, and stakeholders.

Political Institutions

• Political institutions structure political activity, including legislatures, executives, judiciaries, and bureaucracies.
• Studying these institutions shows power distribution and policy-making mechanisms.
• Different political systems have different institutions, impacting authority enforcement and citizen participation.