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What Is Political Science? We Asked 5 Schar School Professors for Their Definition

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What exactly is political science? Is it science, politics, or both?

Many of the faculty members of the at 亚洲AV specialize in political science, study political science, and teach political science. The Schar School offers bachelor, masters, and doctoral degree programs in political science.

But if we were to explain this field of study to the layperson, how would we begin to define political science? To answer that question, and many more, we sat down with four of our political science professors to give us some insight into what it is they do: What they teach, research, and write about.

Photo of Jennifer N. Victor
Jennifer N. Victor

What Is Political Science? Easy, It鈥檚 Science!

Former political science program director Jennifer N. Victor, an associate professor, has a straightforward definition: 鈥淧olitical science is the study of politics and government using the tools of social science.鈥 In a sense, she explained, political science uses the same scientific method鈥攓uestion, theory, hypothesis, gather data, test, and conclude鈥攖hat natural scientists use. However, political science studies people and the institutions, as opposed to natural science, which studies nature.

鈥淭he main subfields in political science include American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory,鈥 Victor said. 鈥淓ach of these subfields has a rich literature of findings and ideas that have contributed to our broad understanding of what it takes for humans to build collective systems to live together.鈥

In other words, political science is really about what it takes for us to live together.

Photo of Jeremy Mayer
Jeremy Mayer

What Is Political Science? Predicting Phenomena.

Solving problems is a major piece of the political science question. As Associate Professor Jeremy Mayer puts it: 鈥淧olitical science attempts to describe, explain, and predict political phenomena.鈥 And, to add to Victor鈥檚 point, there are many more subfields within political science, including political theory or philosophy, comparative politics, international relations, and others. Political science also includes the study of the mass of citizens as well as the elite who make decisions.

Associate Professor Mariely L贸pez-Santana, another political scientist, would also include the subfield of international relations鈥攁n area of political science concerned with relations across countries. 鈥淭he field of comparative politics examines the internal politics and institutions of these countries,鈥 she said.

Photo of Mariely L贸pez-Santana
Mariely L贸pez-Santana

Why Take Political Science in College?

What can signing up for a political science course in college do for you? 鈥淎t the most basic level,鈥 L贸pez-Santana explained, 鈥減olitical science courses will allow you to grasp and assess [with an informed eye] the political world that surrounds us. Beyond that, a degree in political science opens the door to many career opportunities, including a law degree, working in the profit and not-for-profits sectors, becoming a policy-maker, a politician, and/or an academic.鈥

L贸pez-Santana, director of Schar School鈥檚 master鈥檚 program in political science and the PhD in political science programs, explains her role in the political science field: 鈥淎s a scholar of comparative politics, I want students to understand that realities are not absolute鈥攖here are many political contexts and these are as legitimate as ours. I seek to give students the tools to open their eyes to alternate realities, and explore and comprehend the world that surrounds us.鈥

Associate Professor Robert McGrath, director of undergraduate programs, explained his view as well for newer students to the field: 鈥淭o me, politics is all about the inherent conflicts that arise when decisions are made that affect everyone. This includes decisions about who we elect to make decisions on our behalf鈥攑residents, senators, representatives, governors, mayors, city councilors, and others鈥攁nd the content of their policy decisions themselves.

鈥淪ince politics is so consequential, it鈥檚 important to understand the process of making these sorts of decisions.鈥

Indeed, having an understanding of political science can help understand鈥攁nd guide鈥 these policy decisions.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what political scientists do,鈥 McGrath said. 鈥淲e study how aspects of collective decision-making processes can help determine the outcomes.鈥

鈥淔or example,鈥 he continued, 鈥渋n the U.S., does the process of partisan gerrymandering鈥攄rawing boundaries of political districts in biased ways鈥攈elp protect incumbent legislators and promote partisan polarization? Or, across countries, do political actors elected by proportional representation elections better represent the interests of their constituents than those elected in 鈥榳inner take all鈥 elections?鈥 Scholars working in the field of political science seek to answer these crucial questions objectively, referencing reliable empirical evidence, he said.

Photo of Robert McGrath
Robert McGrath

What Is Political Science? A Way to 鈥楾rain the Mind鈥

鈥淪tudying political science helps train the mind in areas of quantitative reasoning and analytical thinking, which are eminently useful skills in many job markets,鈥 McGrath said. 鈥淚n addition, all citizens practice politics in their lives, either contributing to or consenting with collective decisions. So political science, like the conflict we study as political scientists, is in our human nature.鈥

While the methods of political science are shared by other sciences, it is really the subject of study which differs. 鈥淲here political science differs from other sciences is in our focus,鈥 said Associate Professor Eric McGlinchey. 鈥淔or instance, my running partner is a chemist. He studies how elements and molecules interact to produce new compounds. Political scientists study how individuals interact to produce new outcomes. We share the same method, the scientific method, but the focus of our investigations differs.鈥

Photo of Eric McGlinchey
Eric McGlinchey

What Is Political Science? A Sense of Humility

The ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding human nature makes political science complex.

鈥淧roblematically for political scientists,鈥 McGlinchey explained, 鈥減eople are less well-behaved than elements and molecules. Theories are useful in that they allow us to predict the future. But individuals are unpredictable. When two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom get together, the result is water. When the U.S. and Russian presidents get together, the outcome often surprises us.鈥 Due to these uncertainties, McGlinchey added, political science demands a greater sense of humility.

鈥淲e use the scientific method to develop parsimonious theories,鈥 McGlinchey concluded, 鈥渂ut we must accept that our theories are always incomplete and that human unpredictability, as well as newly uncovered or overlooked variables, will necessitate constant revision and refinement of our causal stories.鈥

In other words, the work of those within the field of political science is never quiet finished, but that is what makes political science enjoyable: There are always problems in need of solving, and questions in need of answering.

Interested in studying political science as an undergraduate? . Learn more about the Schar School Master鈥檚 in Political Science and PhD in Political Science:聽.