Overview of Political Science

Definition: The study of politics, government systems, and political behavior.
Objective: To understand how power, authority, and governance operate and their impact on society.

Comparative Politics
- Examines different political systems and practices across countries.
- Focuses on the comparison of institutions, processes, and policies.
International Relations
- Studies interactions between countries.
- Key issues include war, trade, diplomacy, and international organizations.
Political Theory
- Explores political ideas and philosophies.
- Analyzes thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Marx, and contemporary theorists.
Public Administration
- Focuses on the implementation of government policy.
- Analyzes bureaucracies, public sector, and organizational theory.
Public Policy
- Studies the processes of policy making and evaluation.
- Investigates how policies address societal issues.

Power: The ability to influence or control the behavior of people and resources.
Authority: Legitimacy in using power, often derived from legal or institutional frameworks.
Sovereignty: The authority of a state to govern itself or another state.
Democracy: A system of government in which power lies with the people, who elect representatives.
Totalitarianism: An authoritarian system where the state holds total authority over the society and controls many aspects of life.
Political Ideology: A set of beliefs about politics and society (e.g., liberalism, conservatism, socialism).

Qualitative Methods: Case studies, interviews, and content analysis focusing on understanding phenomena.
Quantitative Methods: Statistical analysis, surveys, and experiments to evaluate hypotheses.
Mixed Methods: Combination of both qualitative and quantitative approaches for depth and breadth.

Governments: Structures through which political power is exercised (executive, legislative, judicial).
Political Parties: Organizations that seek to gain power by electing candidates to public office.
International Organizations: Entities like the UN or NATO that facilitate cooperation between states.
Non-Governmental Organizations: Groups that influence policy and advocate for issues (e.g., environmental, human rights).

Political Science is concerned with the study of politics, government systems, and political behavior.
Objective: To understand how power, authority, and governance shape societies.

Comparative Politics: Examines and compares different political systems and practices across various countries.
International Relations: Focuses on interactions between countries, addressing issues like war, trade, diplomacy, and international organizations.
Political Theory: Explores political ideas and philosophies, analyzing historical and contemporary thinkers.
Public Administration: Deals with the implementation of government policy, analyzing bureaucracies, the public sector, and organizational theory.
Public Policy: Studies policy-making processes and evaluation, investigating how policies address societal issues.

Power: The ability to influence or control the behavior of people and resources.
Authority: The legitimate use of power, often derived from legal or institutional frameworks.
Sovereignty: The authority of a state to govern itself or another state.
Democracy: A system of government where power rests with the people who elect representatives.
Totalitarianism: An authoritarian system where the state holds total authority over society and controls various aspects of life.
Political Ideology: A set of beliefs about politics and society, examples are liberalism, conservatism, and socialism.

Qualitative Methods: Use case studies, interviews, and content analysis to understand phenomena.
Quantitative Methods: Use statistical analysis, surveys, and experiments to evaluate hypotheses.
Mixed Methods: Combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches for a comprehensive understanding.

Globalization: examining its impacts on governance and politics.
Populism: The rise of populism and its effects on democratic institutions.
Political Polarization: Understanding its consequences for civic engagement.
Technology and Social Media: Investigating their influence on political communication.

Governments: Structures responsible for exercising political power, including executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
Political Parties: Organizations that aim to gain power by electing candidates to public office.
International Organizations: Entities like the UN or NATO that facilitate cooperation between states.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Groups that influence policy and advocate for various issues (e.g., environmental, human rights).