DIMENSIONS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE 

NAME OF MEANING  SCOPE 

DIMENSION 
1. Political Study of a large number of  Study of State 
Theory   traditional and modern In the past 
political concepts and In the present 
approaches.  In the future 
    Study of
First and foremost Government 
dimension   Study of political
thought and
ideologies 
 Study of all political
systems 
 Study of man as a
political being 
 Study of interest
group, pressure
group, civil society
and political parties 
 Study of elections
and political
participation 
 Study of leadership 
  
2. Comparative Comparative Study of the  All political structures 
Politics  actual behavior of all  Functional study of all
political structures, political structures 
institutions and processes  Study of political
of all political systems of behavior 
the world.   Study of similarities and
   differences in all political
Ogg, Zink, systems 
Munro, C.F.Strong- Studied  Study of all political
comparative government.  systems 
    Study of environment
 Method: scientific- and infrastructure of
behavioral- empirical politics 
method   Study of political culture 
    Study of political
Aspects- government socialization 
structure, behavior and the   
laws. 
  
3. International Studies all aspects of  Nation-state System 
Relations  international relations and  National interest 
interactions among all the  National power 
actors of international  Foreign policy 
community.   Economic instruments
   and International
Studies behavior of relations 
international systems.   International institutions
and Regional
Organizations 
 Non-state actors 
 Regulators of
international relations 
 Study of global problems
and issues 
  
4. Public It is the process by which 2 dimensions of public admin: 
Administration  the policies of the  Administrative
government are carried out Theory 
in the society.   Applied
   Administration 
Sum total of all activities Political 
undertaken by the civil Legislation 
servants for giving effect to Financial 
public policies and decisions Defense 
of the government.  Educational 
Social 
Economics 
 Foreign  
Imperial  
Local 
  
5. Political     The role of government 
Economy  It refers to the study of the  Power relations in
economic environment and resource allocation in
compulsions of politics.  every economic system 
    Role of economic factors
Traditional meaning: branch and interaction among
of the art of government the nations in the world 
which is concerned with a  Economic models of
systematic inquiry into the political processes 
nature and causes of the  Studies the role of
wealth of a nation.   political power holders
in the making of the
economic policy  
 Studies the effect of
economic performance
on the popularity and
credibility of power
holders of the state.  
  
  
QUESTIONS: 
1. List the 5 major dimensions of contemporary political science? 
2. What is political theory? Write briefly about the scope of political
theory. 
3. What is comparative politics? What are the three aspects of the study? 
4. Write briefly about the scope of comparative politics. 
5. What is international relations? What is the scope of international
relations? 
6. Explain why an outstanding feature of the contemporary era has been
the study of international institutions and organizations? 
7. List any 6 key topics of international relations. 
8. What is public administration? 
9. Discuss the two aspects/parts of public administration. 
10. Classify the main forms of applied administration. 
11. What is political economy? Write briefly about the scope of political
economy. 
12. “The scope of political science has now become very broad”- explain this
statement with reference to scope of political science.                      [6
marks]