Nature of Political Science

 

NATURE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

Political science is often considered both an art and a science. It's a science due to its systematic study of politics using scientific methods, but it's also an art because it involves practical application, interpretation, and even creativity in understanding and shaping political systems, similar to how artists work with their chosen medium. Political science is also considered to be a social science as it is a discipline that studies the theory and practice of politics and government, as well as the analysis of political systems and behavior. It examines the state, government, political institutions, power, and political processes, encompassing both the practical and theoretical aspects of politics.

The elaboration for the same is given as under:

Political Science is an Art

In the social sciences, political science refers to the study of political activities and power structures. This involves understanding democracies, republics, monarchies, and other methods of government, as well as political parties and individual political actors.

1. Interpretation and Subjectivity: Political science involves the study of complex social phenomena, such as power dynamics, governance structures, and public policies. Unlike natural sciences, where phenomena can be observed and measured with a high degree of precision, political phenomena are often subjective and open to interpretation. Political scientists analyze and interpret data, historical events, and human behavior, which requires subjective judgment and interpretation. This interpretive aspect of political science resembles the methods used in the arts, where subjective interpretation plays a central role in understanding and appreciating artistic works.

2. Creativity and Imagination: Like the arts, political science requires creativity and imagination to conceptualize and explore theoretical frameworks, models, and hypotheses. Political scientists often employ creative thinking to develop new theories, propose alternative solutions to societal problems, and envision future scenarios. The ability to think critically, creatively, and imaginatively is essential for advancing knowledge in political science, similar to how artists use their creativity to produce innovative and thought-provoking works of art.

 

3. Contextual Understanding and Cultural Sensitivity: Political science emphasizes the importance of understanding political phenomena within their historical, cultural, and social contexts. Political scientists analyze how historical events, cultural norms, and societal values shape political behavior and institutions. This contextual understanding requires sensitivity to cultural nuances, historical legacies, and socio-economic factors, akin to the skills cultivated in the study of humanities and the arts. Just as art historians contextualize artworks within their historical and cultural milieus, political scientists contextualize political phenomena within broader social contexts.

4. Narrative and Rhetoric: Political science often involves the analysis of narratives, discourses, and rhetorical strategies employed by political actors to shape public opinion and influence decision-making. Political scientists study how narratives are constructed, disseminated, and contested in political discourse, recognizing the power of storytelling and rhetoric in shaping political narratives. This focus on narrative analysis shares commonalities with literary studies and cultural studies, where scholars analyze the ways in which narratives convey meaning, ideology, and identity.

5. Ethical and Normative Considerations: Political science engages with ethical and normative questions concerning justice, equality, democracy, and human rights. Political scientists evaluate political systems, policies, and institutions based on ethical principles and normative ideals, assessing their legitimacy and moral implications. This ethical dimension of political science resembles the ethical inquiries undertaken in philosophical ethics and moral philosophy, reflecting the broader concerns of the humanities and arts disciplines.

Political Science is a Science

It is a science because it tests hypotheses about political behavior and institutional performance with both quantitative (statistics) and qualitative methods. Many of it's theoretical models and methodologies are derived from economics, which is another behavioural science that tries to understand economic behaviour and the performance of economic systems.

1.    Systematic Study and Methods: Political science utilizes systematic observation, data collection, and analysis, employing both quantitative (statistical analysis, surveys) and qualitative methods (case studies, historical analysis) to understand political phenomena.

2.    Empirical Research: Political scientists gather empirical evidence from the real world, such as election results, public opinion data, legislative records, and historical events, to test theories and draw conclusions about political behaviour and institutions.

3.    Theory Building and Testing: Like other scientific disciplines, political science aims to develop theories and models that explain political behaviour and processes, and these theories are continually tested and refined based on new evidence.

However, there are also challenges to consider regarding political science's claim to be a "science":

1. Complexity of Human Behaviour: Political phenomena involve human behaviour, which is complex, dynamic, and often influenced by subjective factors like values, emotions, and culture, making it challenging to create universal laws or conduct controlled experiments.

2.    Limited Experimentation: Experimentation in laboratory or in an isolated environment is not possible in Politics like natural sciences.

3.    Lack of Precision:- Principles of Political Science are not precise, clear and they lead to many controversies. Whereas a formula in physics or chemistry is clear and universally accepted. For example, the laws of gravity or the principles of arithmetic i.e. two plus two equals four everywhere. However, Political Science like pure and natural sciences such as physics and Mathematics does not possess any such universally relevant principles.

4.    Difficult to Predict Future:- Political phenomena do not follow proper sequence like exact science. At times, the effects are contrary and therefore the results cannot be predicted.

Political Science is a Social Science

Aristotle defined political science as the study of the state. Political science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, nation, government, and politics and policies of the government.

·      Focus on Human Behaviour: Political science explores how individuals and groups interact within a political context, analyzing political behavior, culture, and institutions. It explores how individuals and groups interact within political systems, focusing on motivations, decision-making, and participation. This includes studying voting patterns, political participation, leadership dynamics, and the influence of social and cultural factors on political behavior. It emphasizes the use of scientific methods, such as surveys, statistical analysis, and experiments, to analyze political behavior and identify patterns.

·      Study of Social Structures: It examines the social structures and methods used to manage a government or state. Political science analyzes the formal structures of government, such as legislatures, executives, and judiciaries, and how they interact with each other and with society. Political science explores how power is distributed and exercised in society, including the influence of social classes, interest groups, and other social actors on political decision-making.

·      Interdisciplinary Nature: Political science draws on other social sciences like sociology, economics, history, and psychology to provide a comprehensive understanding of political phenomena.

·      Empirical and Analytical Approach: Political scientists use both empirical observation (studying real-world events) and analytical reasoning to understand political processes. Political scientists strive to base their conclusions on careful, verifiable observation and experience, aligning with the scientific principle of empiricism.

·      Normative and Prescriptive Aspects: It deals with questions of justice, equality, and freedom, and offers recommendations for improving political systems.

·      Ancient Roots: While codified in the 19th century, political science has roots in the works of ancient philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. The origins of political science can be traced back to ancient Greece. Back then, the philosopher Plato wrote various dialogues about politics, justice, and what constitutes good government. Plato’s work evolved into a more scientific approach through thinkers like Aristotle, Hobbes, Marx, and Weber. Centuries of research into politics helped to boost democracy and assist politicians in making popular policy choices and get voted into power.

·      Use of scientific methods: While social phenomena are complex and not easily subject to controlled experiments in the same way as natural sciences, political scientists employ rigorous methods like statistical analysis, case studies, and comparative research to analyze political events and conditions.

·      Formulation and testing of hypotheses: They formulate hypotheses about how the political world operates and test them through research and analysis.