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From history to science: How does political science successfully break away from ancient philosophical frameworks?
Political science as a discipline was once deeply rooted in philosophy and history. Over time, the field has evolved to incorporate scientific methods and techniques to unravel complex political phenomena. This process of change includes not only the efforts of academia, but also reflects reflection and response to real-world needs.
Origin and evolution of discipline
The rise of political science can be traced back to the mid-19th century. At that time, political scientists began to question the thinking framework of traditional political philosophy and pursue more systematic and empirical research methods. The milestone of this change was the establishment of academic institutions, especially in the United States. With the founding of Political Science Quarterly, political science gradually gained an independent academic status.
“Political science is the science of the state, including the organization and functions of the state, as well as the relationship between states.”
This period of history marks that political science is no longer just about abstract thinking about political ideas, but begins to pay attention to specific political behaviors and their consequences. Academic reformers such as Robert Dahl and Philip Convist led the behaviorist revolution, which emphasized the systematic study of individual and group behavior.
The rise of behaviorism and new institutionalism
In the 1950s and 1960s, behaviorism transformed people's understanding of political science by emphasizing systematic and rigorous scientific research. The pioneers of behavioral politics drew on theories from psychology and sociology, focused on elections, public opinion, and social behavior, and sought to establish a verifiable political theory.
Behaviorist politics is characterized by the study of political behavior rather than the interpretation of institutions or legal texts.
With changes in academic trends, a new institutionalism emerged in the 1970s. It focuses on the functions of political institutions and their impact on individual behaviors, trying to understand political phenomena from a more complex perspective. During this period, scholars such as William R. Reich and others used formal models from game theory to explore the interaction of political institutions and behavior.
The transformation of political science in the 21st century
In the 21st century, political science faces new challenges and opportunities. In 2000, a movement called the "Perestroika Movement" emerged, aiming to oppose the mathematization of political science and call for diverse methodologies and research more in line with social needs. This movement emphasizes the need for political scientists to strengthen ties with the practical community and further promote the development of the discipline.
Proponents argue that political science should be more practical and reflect real-world political challenges.
In addition, emerging theories such as evolutionary psychology also have an impact on political science, trying to explain the psychological mechanisms of human beings when facing political issues. However, these mechanisms originate from small group politics and cannot be directly applied to contemporary large-scale political structures, resulting in some systematic cognitive biases.
Diversity of research methods
Modern political science prides itself on its methodological pluralism. From historical analysis to empirical research, political scientists use a variety of tools to interpret and analyze political phenomena. These methods are drawn from disciplines such as psychology and sociology and continue to evolve to address emerging issues and challenges.
Political science is the study of human behavior, which makes its observations and experiments often difficult to repeat.
In addition to traditional case studies and survey research, modern political scientists use experimental methods and models to explore issues in a variety of political systems and situations. This methodological diversity enables political science to capture the complexity of social dynamics and build a deep understanding of the real world.
The current situation of political science education
At present, political science courses in American universities are generally set up in liberal arts colleges, further emphasizing its disciplinary characteristics as a social science. Many colleges and universities offer political science degrees and cover subfields such as public policy and international relations.
Political science in different countries has its own unique development context. Many non-American colleges and universities regard the political discipline as a broader political research, which shows the trend of disciplinary integration in the context of globalization. The study of political science is not limited to academic research. Many political scientists are also active in government, non-governmental organizations and the corporate world as consultants or researchers.
Conclusion
The evolution of political science highlights the vitality and adaptability of the discipline. With the changes of the times, political science has successfully broken away from the traditional philosophical framework and formed an independent discipline based on science. However, in the face of the current rapidly changing political environment, this field still needs to continue to reflect on and adjust its research directions and methods. So, in future political science research, what kind of methodology can better meet the needs of current society?
