Political science term paper presentaion

Md. Sajib ChowdhuryID: 16411069; Section: A

Batch: BIR-2016First Year, First Semester

Department of International Relations

Faculty of Security &Strategic Studies

Bangladesh University of Professionals

• What is political science?• Political Science according to Scholars. • Nature Of Political Science• Approaches• Scope / subject matter of Political science • Is Political science a science?• To what extend political science is science• Conclusion.

The word Politics has its origins in Ancient Greece. 

It comes from 3 Greek words:Polis- City StatePolity- GovernmentPoliteia- Constitution

Political science is the field of the social sciences concerning the theory and practice of politics and the description and analysis of political systems and political behaviour.

Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government, and politics.

Aristotle defined it as the study of the state.

It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior.

Political Science is the social science concerned chiefly with the description and analysis of political and governmental institutions and processes.

Definitions

Definition of Political thinkersPaul Janet - “Political science is that part of science

which treats of the foundations of state and the principles of government”.H.J Laski- “The study of politics concerns itself with the life of man in relation to organized states”.Lasswell- “political science is the study of shaping and sharing of power”.David Easton-“Political science is the study of the authoritative allocation of values for a society”. Garner - “Political Science begins and ends with the state" Leacock - “Political Science deals with government only” Aristotle – “Science of polis”Gettle – “Science of state”

Political Science is also known by:PoliticsScience of State Science of Government Science of Politics etc.

FATHER OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCEAristotle

wrote “Politics”, the first systematic work on political affairs.

Father of Political ScienceNiccolo Machiavelli

wrote “The Prince”, a handbook for rulers in the art of government.

Father of Modern Political ScienceProf. Francis Lieber

wrote “Manual of Political Ethics”; the first systematic treatise in political science

The State is the central theme of political science.

It is the systemic study of the state, it’s origin, it’s nature, it’s structure, government, power, authority and

so on.

In sum, the study of political science focuses on:

FIVE PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT

Approaches are used to explore & explain political situation or political event

Political science is still growing and developing subject

So there is no uniformity amongpolitical thinkers regarding the nature of political science

Aristotle, the father of political science, considered it as the master science

Some other political scientists reject the scientific nature of political science.

Nature Of Political Science

Subject matter or Scope:

Continue…….

To discover the principles that should be adhered to in public affairs and to study the operations of the government.

Its findings can be used in seeking resolutions to immediate situations.

To be able to deal with social and economic problems and other matters of public and private concerns.

Functions and Importance

Education for citizenship

Essential part of liberal education

Knowledge and understanding of government

Necessity of the Study

Is Political Science a Science?

There is a great deal of controversy among scholars about whether Political Science is a Science or an Art.Aristotle considered it as the 'master science'.

Other modern writers like Godwin, Hobbes, Vico, Hume, Frederick Pollock, John Seely, and Lord Bryce consider it a science.

On the other hand, scholar like Mosca, Burke, Buckle, Comte, Maitland question its claim as a science since it has failed to act up to the standard of science.

Science

“A body of systematized knowledge”

A systematically organized body of knowledge on a particular subject.

The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. 

Social Science

The social sciences are academic disciplines concerned with the study of the social life of human groups and individuals including anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, social studies, and sociology.

Relationship between Pure Science & Social Science1.Natural Science and social science are two types

of science that deal with the same scientific model and constituents of their own respective general laws.

2.Science is more concerned in studying nature while social science is concerned with human behavior and societies.

3.Pure science is characterized by control, exactness, rationality, controlled variables, and predictability while social science is the opposite – it is spontaneous, unpredictable or uncontrollable varieties, and deals with human emotions and behavior.

Continue……….4.The basis of natural science is experimental data

while social sciences rely on experiential data.

5.The usual method of science (with respect to experimental data) is doing repetitive and conventional experiments in a laboratory while social science (in lieu of experiential data) usually involves alternative methods of observation and interaction with people within a community.

6.Natural or physical science work within a closed system while social sciences work within an open system.

Branches of Social Science

Political Science is a branch of Social Science

Not A Science

Lack of Consensus on Nature of Political Science

No Certainty and Universality in the Laws of Political Science

No PredictabilityNo Law of Cause and EffectNot Possible to Conduct Experiments in any Laboratory

No Neutrality and Objectivity

The following arguments are advanced against the claim of Political Science as a science.

Political Science is a SciencePolitical Science can legitimately claim to be a science

in so far as it shares with the natural sciences the use of the scientific method.

The essential features of this method are; (a) It takes nothing for granted; (b) It insists that all generalisations made be based on observed facts; (c) It will not accept any generalisation as final and irrevocable; (d) Besides a scientist, so far as humanly possible, is not swayed by his personal preferences or subjective bias in the formulation of his findings.

Lord Bryce compared Political Science to a relatively underdeveloped and inexact natural science like meteorology

Frederick Pollock maintained that "there is a Political Science in the same sense that there is a science of morals."

Continue………Thus, when one examines the principles of political science, one finds that these principles have been formulated after a systematic study of political phenomena.

Now, if by science one means a body systematised knowledge, then political science is, no doubt, a science.

It is much more scientific today than it was in the past.

Political Science is an ArtAn art is defined as the practical application of

knowledge for the achievement of a particular end.Political Science is a body of systematized

knowledge which can be applied in drafting a constitution, in day to day administration, in legislation, in foreign policy and above all in bringing about all round development of the state.

Thus the knowledge of Political Science is made use of by statesmen, diplomats, administrators, social reformers and activists to achieve their objectives.

The knowledge of Political Science is not merely of theoretical value, but it has practical utility.

Political Science is both a science and an art.

Both Science and Art:

Aristotle was the first thinker who viewed political science as a science. Bodin, Hobbes, Rousseau, Bryce, Bluntschli, Garner, Leacock, etc. all accept this claim.

Majority of the writers call it both a science and an art.

It is an art in the sense that knows ledge of political science is not of theoretical significance only.

On the other hand, knowledge of Political Science has practical value.

Hence, Political Science can be called both as a science and an art.

What is exactlyPolitical Science is not a "pure" science

like physics or chemistry, but it is a science nonetheless

 Political science focuses on all types of political activity for analysis, including behaviour. Therefore, it is neither a pure science nor a behavioural science, but a mix of the two.

Political Science is a combination of art and science.

Conclusion>>>>>>>Aristotle regarded Political Science as “the

supreme science” or “the masters of all science”The study of Political Science has special

importance in all countries. Its study helps us to understand the mechanism

and constitutional systems of modern government. The principles of government, the domestic and foreign policies of the nation. the legislature, executive and judiciary of different countries, etc. are studied in Political Science.

As a matter of fact the scope of Political Science is so wide that it will not suffice to choose any one of the methods mentioned above. In order to cover the wide scope of Political Science, we have to seek the assistance of almost all the methods.