Research areas and projects

What is political science?

Political science is often defined as the scientific study of politics.

But what is "politics"P

Sometimes politics is defined as the legitimate struggle over the distribution of value in society – for example, the struggle over how society's financial resources should be distributed. Sometimes politics is defined narrowly, in terms of state and municipal decision-making. Sometimes politics is defined broadly, where even the personal – or even the private – is political.

Political science is the scientific study of politics. Politics can be defined in various ways. It can refer to the legitimate struggle over the value distribution in society, such as allocating financial resources. It can also be narrowly defined as the decision-making processes at the state and municipal levels. Additionally, politics can broadly encompass personal and private aspects of life.

At the Department of Political Science, our research covers a wide range of fields including political theory and philosophy, international politics, political parties and behavior, gender and politics, democracy and other forms of governance, constitutional studies, local politics, sustainable development, public administration, and governance issues.