Political Science
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Political science is a branch of social science that studies power, government, constitutions, and how decisions are made in the public sphere. It examines how institutions are constructed, how authority is distributed, and how individuals and groups compete for influence.
The English term 'political science' and its equivalents in French ('science politique') and Italian ('scienza politica') refer to the same field. Some universities use alternative names such as 'politics' or 'government', but the subject matter is fundamentally the same.
Subfields
It is common to distinguish several subfields: political thought (the philosophy and history of ideas such as justice and legitimacy), domestic politics (institutions, elections, parties, social movements), comparative politics (comparison of political systems across different countries), and international relations (war, peace, trade, international organizations). Some scholars also include public administration and policy analysis.
Research methods
Researchers use quantitative methods (analysis of electoral data, opinion surveys, statistical modeling), qualitative methods (interviews, case studies, historical narrative), and formal methods such as game theory to model decision-making by rational actors. Field experiments have become increasingly common over the past two decades.
Brief history
Political thought originates in ancient Greek writings such as those of Aristotle and in works by scholars like Ibn Khaldun, who examined state formation and change. Modern academic political science, as an independent university discipline with its own chairs and journals, emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly in Europe and North America.
Applications and relations with other disciplines
Political science is closely related to economics, sociology, law, and history. Its findings are applied by governments, international organizations, and civil society groups in evaluating constitutions, electoral systems, and administrative policies.