Thomas E. Mann

Placement of Political Scientists in 1977

This is the sixth in a series of annual reports on the experience of new political scientists looking for jobs.1 Readers of past reports may have been struck by certain paradoxical findings: amid increasing national commentary on the worsening job market for Ph.D.s, the overall success of political scientists in finding positions has not really changed in the last five years. While the market has been tight, most (about 7 of 10) serious candidates have secured jobs, the vast majority (85 percent) in colleges and universities. Most who fail one year remain affiliated with their graduate institution and re-enter the market the following year. The number who are unemployed or who take employment completely outside the profession remains around 7 percent.

Report on a Survey of the Membership of the American Political Science Association

In conjunction with a discussion of the FY 1974-75 Budget at its April, 1974, meeting, the Council of the American Political Science Association instructed the Executive Director to survey the membership of the Association as to their attitudes toward the usefulness of PS in form and content. In order to take full advantage of the resources needed to conduct this survey, the National Office conceived a broader study of membership attitudes toward Association activities. The final questionnaire was approved by the Council. On June 7, 1974, the questionnaire was mailed to 1,000 individuals selected randomly from the membership files of the Association. A second mailing was sent to those who had not responded on July 9. A total of 530 completed questionnaires were received for a response rate of 53 percent.* The demographic characteristics of the membership, as reflected in the sample, are portrayed in Table 1.