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What is Political Science? Political Science Defined, Meaning of Political Science Transcript
What is political science?
00:00:04
Broadly construed, political science is the social scientific study of political institutions and
political behave ior. The study of political institutions includes topics, such as the effect of the
design of electoral systems on the quality of representation in government, the formal and
informal elements of the legislative process and the implications for the making of law, and the
impact of domestic political institutions on the incidence of international conflict.
00:00:36
Under the rubric of political behavior, political scientists study how and why people choose to
participate in politics, the determinants of vote choice, and the nature and origins of public
opinion. For this reason, students studying political science develop a strong substantive
understanding of both political institutions and behavior. They also learn the theories that help
them better understand the political world and the methods by which these theories are tested
and refined.
00:01:09
Political science students can choose courses from different subfields of the discipline, such as
American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and pre-law. The study of
institutions and behavior is central to these subfields, although the substantive emphasis differs.
Normally, courses in American politics focus on domestic politics in the US, while courses in
comparative politics examine government and politics in other nations. International relations
classes address issues in foreign policy, international conflict, and the institutions intended to
govern the interactions between nations. Pre-law classes involve, legal institutions and the
behavior of legal actors.
00:01:58
As we can see, the knowledge and skills acquired with the study of political science provide a
strong foundation for graduate training in law, political science, or other social sciences.
Students graduating with a degree in political science can also pursue a wide variety of other
careers, such as public administration, campaign management or consultation, grassroots
political organization, corporate governmental affairs, foreign service, journalism, lobbying, and
teaching.
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