What is political science? (A brief explanation)
What’s political science? What’s it for? Different misconceptions keep this discipline in a blurry field. It’s time to shed light on this.
Introduction
Today, I want to speak to you about political science. Many people are considering what to study in the future and how to develop their careers. However, they don’t have a clear idea of what political science is all about. Other people want to know what it is and how it can help them. So, this is the best place to solve these questions, because this channel is all about how political science helps understand politics.
I’m going to discuss what’s political science, and how it’s helpful. I want to provide a general idea about the possible careers for those who chose this major. And I’ll give some examples of successful political scientists.
Definition and scope
Political science is a social science, and its field is the analysis of politics considered in broad terms. That includes political activities, political phenomena, political thoughts, political behavior, and so on. If I had to sum the scope of this science up, I’d say political science is about power relations, and how they work in society.
Because of the complexity of politics and its broad scope, political science includes numerous subfields such as comparative politics, political economy, international relations, political theory, public administration, electoral studies, and so on. That gives you a general idea about the range of this discipline. Indeed, it’s also related to other fields such as economics, sociology, history, geography, philosophy, law, and so on.
Jobs for political scientists
Now, let’s discuss why political science is useful. Political scientists provide the frameworks from which other specialists and political actors, such as journalists, special interest groups, politicians, government institutions, and so on, analyze issues. Consequently, political scientists develop an important function by informing other professionals about the way politics works.
Probably you are wondering what you can do with a political science major. That’s an interesting question I want to answer here.
There is a wide range of different jobs for this major. For instance, if you’re interested in the study of politics, or issues related to politics, you can become a researcher and work for universities, think tanks, NGO’s, and so on. Their main function is the study of specific topics to provide their insights in reports, surveys, essays, and so forth. However, for this sort of career, it’s advisable to have a Ph.D. in politics. A similar option is to become a professor in politics. But a Ph.D. is also a must.
In some countries, a major in politics is useful to achieve an office as a civil servant. The government and its agencies recruit this sort of professionals at different levels of the public administration, and for a wide range of purposes. That might include the design of public policies, representative functions in a diplomatic mission, or the support of intelligence agencies with political analysis.
Another job for a political scientist is a legislative assistant. This sort of professional is usual in democratic countries where representatives and other elected officials at all levels of government hire assistants to help them to carry out their duties. Their duty in this post is to coordinate communication with constituents and inform them about developments within their district. They assess the interest of constituents about current political issues, and they set forth the views of their elected officials. They also deal with constituent inquiries and help to solve the problems of citizens within their jurisdiction. In addition to this, they track legislation and survey the positions of other legislators on pending legislation. They keep the representative informed by researching policy issues.
Public relations specialist is another possible career for any political scientist. We’re talking about someone who is immersed in political communication and marketing and whose main duty is to keep a good public image of their clients by influencing public opinion and dealing with the media. To carry out this task, they draft compelling press releases and articulate the public discourse of their client to shape public opinion. They also organize and publicize press conferences and other events to catch media attention and get the word out about their client.
Times are changing, and there is a new career for political scientists: social media manager. Due to the development of social media and their influence on public opinion, political candidates, officials, parties, think tanks, and other interest groups need social media managers to monitor the views of citizens about current issues. They develop their work on social media platforms where they orchestrate campaigns to shape the perceptions of their users.
Political scientists also work as political campaign staff. This job is to formulate and execute campaign strategy. So, the main goal of this professional is to work towards building a brand or favorable public image for the candidate. In this way, they study current political issues and assess voter reactions to a candidate’s platform. Moreover, they write press releases and help language for speeches. They also recruit, train, and supervise volunteers and help raise money to fund the campaign.
Another job is a marketing research analyst who is in charge of analyzing how potential voters react to candidates. Insofar as political science majors study the role of survey research and opinion polling in campaigning, it turns out to be useful for those who run an election. There are several specialized companies in marketing research for campaigns, and they help map the political environment to make recommendations based on data.
Policy analyst is one more job for political scientists. In this case, they study the process of generating public policy. They address the possible impact of proposals for public policy. Furthermore, they assess the pros and cons of particular policy initiatives, and they also devise sound thesis and build persuasive arguments for or against specific policies. Their understanding of the political and legislative process allows them to enlist the support of individuals who can help advance initiatives.
Finally, I want to mention those political scientists who become political consultants. They work for different clients, such as candidates, legislators, presidents, private corporations, special interest groups, government agencies, NGOs, think tanks, and so on. They provide each client with a specific service, depending on their needs. Some political scientists have set up their consultant companies and recruited different professionals who have expertise in several fields. Usually, they help their clients in the decision-making process and formulating strategies for achieving their goals.
I avoided talking about salaries because it’s impossible to provide accurate figures. Indeed, those who dare to give numbers usually don’t consider many different factors that influence your income. I refer to the country, working hours, cost of living, taxes, legislation, and so on.
However, I can tell you the best-paid jobs I mentioned are political consultant, marketing research analyst, and civil servant. They’re over $60,000 earnings, on average.
Successful political scientists
Now, it’s time to talk about some successful political scientists. And I want to start with George Friedman.
He founded in 1996 the prestigious private intelligence publishing and consulting firm Stratfor. And he’s also the founder and chairman of Geopolitical Futures, an online publication that analyzes and forecasts the course of global events.
Another example is Condolezza Rice, who served at the State Department.
She also served on the National Security Council as an advisor to president George Bush senior, and later, in 2000, to president George Bush junior. Now she is a professor of political science at Stanford University and is also on the Board of Directors of Dropbox and Makena Capital Management LLC.
President Woodrow Wilson was a political scientist. Before arriving at the Presidency, he developed a successful academic career as a professor at Princeton University and was governor of New Jersey. He’s considered de architect of the League of Nations and led the US into the Great War.
Zbigniew Brzezinski, for example, was an outstanding political consultant who served as a counselor to president Johnson and was a National Security Advisor to President Carter. Furthermore, he was a notable specialist in geopolitics, as well as an organizer of the think tank The Trilateral Commission. He also was a professor at Johns Hopkins University, a scholar at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a member of various boards and councils.
There are many more examples similar to these public figures. For now, it’s enough to show the real potential of this major and how it’s possible to develop a successful career as a political scientist.
Question of the day
Question of the day! Are you considering studying political science? If so, please, post it in the comments section below and explain why. I’ll check it out.