LECTURES 1-2
First: Definition of Political Science
Second :The Importance of Political Science
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First: Definition of Political Science
Political science is that branch of the
social sciences that studies the state, politics, and
government. Political Science deals extensively with the
analysis of political systems, the theoretical and practical
applications to politics, and the examination
of political behavior.
Political science, occasionally called politology, is a
social science which deals with systems of governance,
and the analysis of political activities, political thoughts,
associated constitutions and political behavior.
Political science definition, a social science dealing with
political institutions and with the principles and conduct of
government.
Political science focuses on the theory and practice of
government and politics at the local, state, national, and
international levels.
Political science is a social study concerning the allocation
and transfer of power in decision making, the roles and
systems of governance including governments
and international organizations, political behavior
and public policies. They measure the success
of governance and specific policies by examining many
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factors, including stability, justice, material wealth, peace
and public health.
Political science, the systematic study of governance by
the application of empirical and generally scientific
methods of analysis. As traditionally defined and studied,
political science examines the state and its organs and
institutions. The contemporary discipline, however, is
considerably broader than this, encompassing studies of all
the societal, cultural, and psychological factors that
mutually influence the operation of government and
the body politic.
The systematic study of government and politics. Political
science is a social science that makes generalizations and
analyses about political systems and political behavior and
uses these results to predict future behavior.
Political Science is the study of the nature, causes, and
consequences of collective decisions and actions taken by
groups of people embedded in cultures and institutions that
structure power and authority.
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a
social science dealing with systems of governance and
power, and the analysis of political activities, political
thoughts, political behavior, and associated constitutions
and laws.
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Political scientists
Robert A. Dahl considers Aristotle's definition of
politics as too restrictive since it is tied to state
organizations. He, therefore, reformulates it to read 'any
persistent pattern of human relationships that involves,
to a significant extent, power, rule or authority' .Dahl
criticizes the idealized Aristotelian notion of the self-
sufficiency of the state for pursuing the good life. His
definition broadens the political relationships to include
patterns of behaviour that are not co-extensive with
national societies. He does follow Aristotle, however,
in defining and observing 'offices' or 'roles' in complex
political systems.
David Easton identified 'political acts' as those that
'authoritatively allocate values in a society'. Like Dahl,
he sees politics as a set of human interactions, but limits
it by emphasizing 'authoritative allocations' for an entire
society. Furthermore, Easton focuses attention not only
on the goals of policy-makers trying to alter the
distribution of scarce resources or values in a society but
also on the authority or power relationships involved in
it.
Harold Lasswell defined politics as being concerned with
'who gets what, when and how'. The difference between
Easton's and Lasswell's conception is largely in emphasis:
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the former focuses attention on the entire political system
while the latter zeroes in on individuals with power. It is
hardly surprising, therefore, to find Lasswell describing
politics generally as the 'shaping and sharing of power'.
Clearly, the subject matter has undergone a transformation
from an emphasis on state structures to a set of human
interactions concerned with the allocation of scarce
resources, which are considered desirable.
David Held has viewed politics (or political science) in a
different way. In his opinion politics is a practical activity
(emphasis added) about the discourse and struggle over
organization of human possibilities and in this sense political
science can be treated as a study of power (emphasis added).
The concept of power relates to the capacity of social agents
and institutions. In this definition of politics given by Held
we find three components of political science. Political
science relates to political activity, to power, to capacity of
various agents and organizations. Hence any definition of
political science must encompass all these components. So
political science does not hover in imagination or a solitary
place. It is a phenomenon connected with the affairs and
activities of groups, institutions and various agents.
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Second: The Importance of Political Science
Political scientists study and explain government and
legislative processes so that people can be better informed
about policies that impact their communities, states, and
the country.
Political Science sharpens students understanding of
organizational dynamics and human relations, and hones
their communication, and statistical skills.
The study of political science enables students to
understand the processes and institutions of societal
decision-making. Such an understanding often includes
knowing who makes the decision, for what reason and
in whose interest, as well as how such decision can be
encouraged, modified or prevented by citizens.
Political Science students may also receive credit by
taking courses in other programs housed within the
department: Geography, Global Affairs, and Politics and
Law.
The importance of political science explains what
happened in the fact that all of us live within political
systems and we are affected by the changes in the global
political economy.
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With the advent of globalization, there has been a
concomitant rise in the interest taken by the people of the
world in understanding the political systems of other
countries. Hence, political scientists become valued and
important as they provide the lens through which we can
understand the global political economy.
There are many universities that provide graduate and
higher-level degrees in political science and in recent
years, because of the renewed interest in political science
as a field of study, there are many takers for these courses.
We can say that any phenomenon has a political aspect, so
that for example art, language, history can be understood
politically. This kind of understanding can be cultivated by
acquainting oneself with classical political theory, good
specimens of modern political theory, and political culture
of various countries.
Furthermore, many other types of occupations are open to
them, such as research, adult education, various media and
public relations jobs, national and international
organizations, as well as cultural entities. They work also
in private enterprises as analysts or content creators.
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Because of the broad nature of Political Science, majors
develop a unique skill set that is quite attractive to
employers and useful for any job:
Oral and written communication skills
An understanding of research methodologies and statistics
Critical and logical thinking skills
An ability to identify community needs and solutions
Knowledge about government laws, regulations, and
processes
Insight into human behavior and organizational dynamics
Leadership and communication skills
