Political Science
What is Political Science?
Political science is the study of governments, public policies, and political processes, systems, and political behavior. Political science subfields include comparative politics, international relations, political theory, public administration, public policy, and country-specific politics.
Political science generally falls into one of three subfields: comparative politics, international relations, and political theory. Comparative politics focuses on the internal politics of countries, including their governments, political parties, and interest groups. International relations examine the process and outcomes of interactions between different countries, including both cooperation and conflict. Political theory is primarily concerned with the study of normative questions, such as the proper function of government and the justification for different political arrangements.
While each of these subfields employs different methods and approaches, all share a common concern with understanding how power is exercised and contested in the political realm. As such, political science offers a valuable perspective for those interested in pursuing careers in government, public policy, or international affairs.
Political Science Resources
Notgrass Exploring Government
One-semester high school government course covering the Constitution, three branches, elections, and citizen responsibilities with primary sources and daily lesson plans.
Federalism & Decentralization: Evaluating Africa's Track Record
In this political science course you will learn about the twin concepts of federalism and decentralization. You will develop an understanding of the core ideas that federalism and decentralization rest on, and study the building blocks that make them...
POLSC201: Introduction to Western Political Thought
One of our central aims in this course will be to gain a critical perspective on our times by evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of various regimes and philosophical approaches. We will also work to better understand those assumptions and basic...
POLSC221: Introduction to Comparative Politics
The course proceeds as follows: Unit 1 introduces basic concepts in social science, comparative political theory, and methodology. Unit 2 examines the state and compares authoritarian, totalitarian, and democratic state forms. Unit 3 focuses on the c...