Political science is the study of Politics. It involves the study of structure and process in government - or any equivalent system that attempts to assure safety, fairness, and closure across a broad range of risks and access to a broad range of commons for its human charges. Accordingly, political scientists often study trade unions, corporations, churches or other social institutions called systematic political science.
The term "political science" was first coined in 1880 by Herbert Baxter Adams, a professor of history at Johns Hopkins University.
Political scientists study the allocation and transfer of power in decision making. Because of the complex interaction of often conflicting interests, political science is often an applied instance of Game Theory.
Since the end of World War II, the study of International Relations, that is also part of Law, Economy, Sociology, among others, became an important area of Political Science. International Relations has become more independent of Political Science over time, in methodology and the scholars themselves. Some universities have developed programs specifically in Conflict Resolution and Direct Democracy, which has come to be seen as relevant domestically as well as internationally.
One thing that complicates the study of political science is that political scientists are themselves part of the political process, since their teachings often provide the frameworks within which other commentators, such as journalists, pressure-groups, politicians and the electorate select options. Political scientists measure success on the basis of many things, including stability, justice, material wealth, and peace.
The complex interplay of economic and political choices is reflected in the field of political economy, where economics and political science overlap.
In the United States, political scientists look at a variety of data including elections, public opinion (on matters ranging from Social Security reform to foreign policy), institutional roles (how the U.S. Congress acts, where congressional power gravitates, how and when the Supreme Court acts, or does not act, etc.).
While historians look backward, seeking to explain the past, political scientists try to illuminate the politics of the present and predict those of the future.
__Related Topics__
* International Relations
** International organization
** anti-globalization movement
** Globalization
* Political science (General)
** Political Scientists
** Politics
* Political theories
** Theories of state
*** Absolutism
*** Anarchism
*** Anarcho-capitalism
*** Anarcho-communism
*** Capitalism
*** Communism
*** Conservatism
*** Corporatocracy
*** Crypto-anarchism
*** Democracy
*** Despotism
*** Dictatorship
*** Eudemonism
*** Fascism
*** Liberalism
*** Libertarianism
*** Libertarian socialism
*** Kinism
*** Marxism
*** Minarchism
*** Monarchy
*** Nationalism
*** Nazism
*** Nonviolence
*** Oligarchy
*** Patriotism
*** Populist
*** Radical centrist politics
*** Republicanism
*** Socialism
*** Sovereignty
*** Syndicalism/Anarcho-syndicalism
*** Totalitarianism
** Gender-Based Ideologies
*** Masculism
*** Feminism
** Political philosophy
*** The justification of the state
*** The Divine Right of Kings
*** Consequentialist justifications of the state
*** Social contract theories
*** The purpose of government
*** Family/State paradigm
***Forms of state
** Theories of Political Behavior
*** The Kyklos
*** Collective action
*** Ochlocracy
*** Psychohistory
*** Psychodynamics of Decision-making
** Political Theorists
* State
** Forms of government
*** Parliamentary system
*** Presidential system
*** Semi-presidential system
*** Republic
**** Classic definition of republic
*** Monarchy
*** Mayor-council government
*** Council-manager government
** Political Entities
*** Business improvement district
*** City
*** County
*** Country
*** Government
*** Municipality
*** Non-governmental organization
*** Off-budget enterprise
*** Quasi-autonomous non-government organisation
*** Republic
*** Residential community association
*** Special-purpose district
*** State
*** Township
** Three powers of the State
*** Executive power
*** Legislative power
*** Judicial power
** Three branches of government
*** Executive branch
*** Legislative branch
*** Judicial branch
** Political party
*** Political parties of the world
* Law
** International law
* Elections
** Bioregional democracy
** Electoral Reform
** Initiative
** Proportional representation
** Representative recall
** Referendum
** Tactical voting
** Voting systems
** Party system
* People
**Monarch
**President
**Prime Minister
**Judge
**Legislator
**Congressman
**Counselor
**Voter
* Miscellaneous
** Adam Smith rule
** British politics
** Centralization
** Civil Society
** Collective Intelligence
** Common Good
** Corporate police state
** Crony capitalism
** Decentralization
** E-democracy
** European Union
** Exceptionalism
** Federal grant
** Police
** Political spectrum
** Politics of FDA dietary recommendations
** Policy Analysis
** Political change
** Propaganda
** Systematic political science
** U.S. Politicsnike free run 5.0 amazon