Intro to Political Science

Definition

• Political Science: The systematic study of politics, government systems, and political behavior.

Subfields

1. Comparative Politics

   • Examines and compares political systems across different countries.
   • Focuses on political institutions, processes, and behavior.

2. International Relations

   • Studies interactions between countries and global issues.
   • Addresses topics like war, diplomacy, trade, and international organizations.

3. Political Theory

   • Explores concepts like justice, power, rights, and the state.
   • Analyzes works of political philosophers and theorists.

4. Public Administration

   • Focuses on the implementation of government policies.
   • Studies bureaucracies and their management.

5. Public Policy

   • Examines the process of policy-making and its effects.
   • Analyzes governmental responses to societal issues.

Key Concepts

• Power

  • The ability to influence or control others.
  • Types of power: coercive, soft, hard, and relational.

• Authority

  • Legitimate power recognized and accepted by society.
  • Types: traditional, charismatic, and legal-rational.

• State

  • A political entity with a defined territory, population, and government.
  • Key characteristics: sovereignty, legitimacy, and recognition.

• Democracy

  • A system of government where power resides with the people.
  • Types: direct and representative democracy.

• Political Ideologies

  • Sets of beliefs about politics and society.
  • Major ideologies: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and nationalism.

Research Methods

• Qualitative Methods

  • In-depth interviews, focus groups, and content analysis.

• Quantitative Methods

  • Surveys, statistical analysis, and experiments.

• Mixed Methods

  • Combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Important Theorists

• Plato

  • Advocated for philosopher-kings and the importance of justice.

• Aristotle

  • Analyzed forms of government and the role of citizens.

• Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau

  • Social contract theorists with differing views on human nature and government.

• Max Weber

  • Introduced concepts of authority and bureaucracy.

• John Stuart Mill

  • Emphasized individual liberty and utilitarianism.

Current Trends

• Increasing polarization in politics.
• Rise of populism and nationalism.
• Impact of technology on political engagement.
• Globalization affecting state sovereignty and policy-making.

Definition

• Political Science systematically studies politics, government systems, and political behavior.

Subfields

• Comparative Politics
  • Compares political systems across various countries.
  • Investigates political institutions, processes, and behaviors.
• International Relations
  • Analyzes interactions between nations and global environmental issues.
  • Covers topics such as war, diplomacy, trade, and international organizations.
• Political Theory
  • Discusses concepts like justice, power, rights, and the nature of the state.
  • Reviews the works of political philosophers and their theories.
• Public Administration
  • Concentrates on executing government policies.
  • Examines bureaucracies and their management frameworks.
• Public Policy
  • Investigates policy-making processes and their societal impacts.
  • Considers government responses to social issues and challenges.

Key Concepts

• Power
  • Defined as the ability to influence or control others.
  • Types include coercive, soft, hard, and relational power.
• Authority
  • Refers to legitimate power acknowledged by society.
  • Includes traditional, charismatic, and legal-rational authority.
• State
  • Political entity characterized by defined territory, population, and governance.
  • Features sovereignty, legitimacy, and recognition.
• Democracy
  • Government system where power originates from the people.
  • Types include direct democracy and representative democracy.
• Political Ideologies
  • Set of beliefs outlining views on politics and society.
  • Major ideologies encompass liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and nationalism.

Research Methods

• Qualitative Methods
  • Involves in-depth interviews, focus groups, and content analysis to gather comprehensive data.
• Quantitative Methods
  • Utilizes surveys, statistical analysis, and experiments for numerical data.
• Mixed Methods
  • Combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches for a well-rounded analysis.

Important Theorists

• Plato
  • Advocated for philosopher-kings and highlighted justice's significance.
• Aristotle
  • Evaluated various forms of government and citizen roles within them.
• Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau
  • Developed social contract theories, differing in their views on human nature and governance.
• Max Weber
  • Introduced foundational concepts of authority and bureaucracy.
• John Stuart Mill
  • Stressed the importance of individual liberty and the principles of utilitarianism.

Current Trends

• Political climate shows increasing polarization.
• Notable rise in populism and nationalism movements.
• Technology significantly affects political engagement and public discourse.
• Globalization challenges the sovereignty of states and influences policy-making processes.