120 Best Researchable Topics in Political Science

​Political science is a dynamic and expansive field, with scholars publishing over 67,000 papers between 1990 and 2013 across 96 core journals. The discipline encompasses diverse subfields, including political theory, comparative politics, international relations, and public policy. Identifying pertinent and researchable topics is crucial for contributing meaningful insights to the ongoing discourse.

This article presents 120 carefully selected research topics in political science, designed to assist students and scholars in navigating the vast landscape of the field and fostering impactful academic contributions.

What is Political Science?

Political science is the area of the social sciences that focuses on governmental structures, politics, and the state. Political science focuses heavily on the study of political behavior, the analysis of political systems, and theoretical and practical applications to politics.

The following describes a few of the key subfields.

Political Theory

Political thinkers here reexamine political concepts found in significant political works in light of contemporary human behavior. Besides, Political theory aims to encourage citizens to engage in thoughtful and original political action by ultimately deepening political thought.

Comparative Politics

A wide range of methods and objectives are used in the field of comparative politics. Comparing modern political systems allows some academics and researchers to determine which ones best uphold certain ideals, such as peace, equality, freedom, or the economic security and well-being of their citizens.

Others contend that the primary goal of comparative politics is to explain how and why various civilizations create various kinds of political structures. Others utilize comparative politics to identify overarching patterns and hypotheses that can account for the diversity of human political behavior.

There are basically two sorts of comparative politics courses. A comparison of a certain set of issues or institutions across numerous nations is provided. The second category provides in-depth examinations of the fundamental political structures and operations of a single nation or a collection of nations in a global region.

The majority of students will want to start their comparative politics studies with Introduction to Comparative Politics (POL S 204), which combines the two primary approaches by including comparative discussions of specific issues, processes, and institutions in a wide range of political settings as well as in-depth readings and lectures on some of the major nations in the modern world.

International Relations

Understanding the interactions between states and non-state international players, such as the United Nations and multinational businesses, is a goal of the study of international relations.

Both the types of behavior that are investigated and the methods used to study them vary greatly in the discipline of international relations.

The field continues to place a lot of emphasis on international conflict, especially war. Why do wars break out? Who prevails, and why? How are conflicts avoided? What function do global institutions and legislation serve?

The significance of global economic activity has come to the attention of scholars as the world has become more interdependent. Due to this, researchers are studying global trade, communications, development, foreign investment, and international finance.

Another critical field of research focuses on how states decide on their foreign policy. Foreign policy decisions typically involve nuclear deterrence, arms control, national security strategy, and decisions on defense spending.

The student is introduced to international politics in POL S 203, International Relations. This serves as the basis for a wide range of topics at the 300 and 400 levels, including courses on American foreign policy, international political economy, global environmental politics, and international conflict.

American Government and Politics

 Students of American politics and government aim to comprehend how politics are conducted here. The department offers specialized courses on subjects like the political function of the media, the politics of race and ethnicity, constitutional law, policy development, state politics, and American political thought, in addition to general education courses on the American presidency, the U.S. Congress, and the courts.

How and why American political institutions, ideas, and practices evolve as they have are some of the basic questions that engage students in this discipline. How is it possible to assess them? Do American political institutions, beliefs, and practices differ from those of other societies, or are they similar? What can be done to improve American politics?

The majority of other American politics courses call for POL S 202, Introduction to American Politics, as a prerequisite. Students are invited to take part in academic internships in Washington, Olympia, or Seattle to gain first-hand knowledge of the American political system.

You may also check out American University Acceptance Rate: Admission, Tuition, and CGPA

Political Methodology

Political methodology is a subfield that focuses on the philosophical underpinnings of political science, social science, the design and analysis of empirical research, and actual field research experience.

The philosophical questions surrounding the existence of a science of politics, the parallels and distinctions between political science and other social sciences, alternative forms of explanation, and the veracity of knowledge claims are covered in political methodology courses.

Additionally, they look at the formulation of experimental and non-experimental research designs for drawing conclusions about the causes of political behavior and processes, and they investigate the application of mathematics, statistics, and computers to the analysis of political data produced by these research designs.

Furthermore, through seminars, students have the chance to carry out both solo and group research projects. The faculty of political methodology is currently interested in researching and teaching about a wide range of subjects, including linguistic politics, feminist theory, political economy, public policy, and the media.

120 Best Research Topics On Political Science

The following categories list the best research topics on political science:

• Comparative Politics
• International Relations 
• Philosophy Research Topics
• Public Administration
• Public Law Topics
• Researchable Topics In Political Science
• Political Theory
• Conflicts in Politics
• Conflict Resolution
• Mediation And Negotiation

#1. Comparative Politics

All empirical methods, including comparative methods, are the main emphasis of this area. Some real-world examples of this field include domestic politics, various conflicts, and institution studies. When selecting comparative politics research subjects, pay attention to how the political science problem analysis will be put into practice rather than the specifics of the topic.

Among the topics for comparative politics research papers are:

1. Foreign Policies of United States Vs. United Kingdom
2. Apartheid Phenomenon
3. A Study of the Anglo-Saxon Traits in the America Government
4. Chinese Communist Party Hierarchy
5. Soviet Union Ideology
6. Party Comparison – A Behavioral Approach
7. Presidential Vs. Parliamentary Democracy
8. Vietnam War Interests Aggregation
9. Recruitment in Developing Countries
10. Study of the Cultural Pressure Between Japan and the United States

#2. International Relations

This field focuses on the debates, disputes, and negotiations that take place around the globe. It also includes other crucial topics including security, global poverty, human rights, globalization, and environmental problems.

Political science research topics that fall under this category include:

• Human Rights in Malawi
• Amnesty International Top Controversies
• Arctic Circle Power Battles
• Fund Structure of the International Monetary Fund
• Global Poverty Causes
• Ethical Guidelines for NGOs
• Syrian Conflict Cause-Effect
• GM Foods Market Distribution
• Non-State Facilitators in Japan Corporations
• An Analysis of Global Security Networks 

#3. Philosophy Research Topics

This area of political science focuses on the administration of justice, liberty, and democracy as well as the mechanics of the legal system and other important aspects of state law. The majority of articles in this area concentrate mostly on how society is organized and the morals that ought to be followed there. A lot could be written on this large subject. Among them are:

1. Causes of the American Revolution
2. Karl Schmidt’s Theses and German Philosophy
3. Neopatrimonialism Society Risks
4. Liberal Democracy Justification
5. Election Ethics
6. A Contrast of Liberalism and Civil Republicanism
7. Transition Methods In The Post Socialist Era
8. Republican Traditions in Education
9. Existentialism According to Western Constitutional Law
10. The Study of Mutual Tolerance as Political Virtue

#4. Public Administration

The daily operations of public managers, governmental institutions, and other organizations that put laws and policies into effect are being examined in this study. There are several topics in this area, which is related to sociology, including:

1. Community Development Methods
2. Governmental Efforts Coordination
3. John Rohr’s Constitutional Vision
4. Nonprofit organizations Ethics
5. Private Sector Innovations In the U.S
6. Environmental Management Compromises
7. Fiscal management and Strategic Planning
8. Administration Careers in Transportation Security
9. Optimal Benefits of Public Safety
10. An Analysis of the Federal Emergency Management Agency

#5. Public Law Topics

This area of political science investigates interactions between the people and the government. It covers a wide range of subjects, including, among others, constitutional law, administrative law, criminal law, and taxes. It differs greatly from private law, which is more concerned with individuals, small organizations, families, and private companies.

The relationship between administrative authority and citizens is the subject of this study. One significant instance is a request or review made to the state authority by a member of the society. Despite its seeming complexity, it covers a number of fascinating topics, some of which are:

1. Human Rights Act 1998 – A Review
2. Criminal Law and Common Morality
3. Privacy Law or Commercial Exploitation?
4. Post-Conflict Justice Inequality
5. Civil Liberties and National Security Complaints
6. The System of Police Interrogation
7. European Legal History – Legislators
8. Custody Battles and Gender Bias Psychology
9. Judicial Review Argumentation Analysis
10. Police Interrogation and Socio-Economic Preferences

#6. Researchable Topics In Political Science

It is an analysis or in-depth study of all the political processes, which are the subject’s main focus. It also entails a study of the causes and repercussions of problems, as well as the personalities of leaders to identify more serious problems. Besides, It covers a wide range of delicate subjects, yet because of its scientific methodology and paper format, it stands out. Any topic selected here needs to be researched with sufficient scholarly sources. Think about the following topics.

• Prosecution Ethics of Top Tier Officials
• Is Criminal Pardon Acceptable?
• European and American Federal Crimes Comparison
• Differences Between Political and Armed Conflicts
• Is Religion A Social Power?
• Corruption Elimination Methods
• Implementing Crucial Changes in Legislation Processes
• Post War Social Movements
• Federalism Traces in The Unitary Governance Model
• The Interdependence of Modern Leaders

#7. Political Theory

Theorists in this area are crucial, thus they take the lead. Political science essays on these philosophers’ contributions are a great choice. The majority of political science research question examples discuss the contributions of political science theorists. Despite not providing any solutions to world issues, it may be an engaging read. Some topic suggestions are provided below:

1. John Austin Theory
2. Anarchism History Key Figures
3. Frederic Bastiat Theses
4. Liberty and Justice Challenges
5. Aristotle Philosophy on the Theory of Governance
6. Analysis – The Republic By Plato
7. Jean Bodin on Sovereignty
8. Vladimir Lenin and Communism Approach
9. Edmund Burke’s Classic Theories
10. The Disciplinary Power of Foucault

#8. Conflicts in Politics

This might include everything from political campaigns and commercial conflicts to national interests in terms of natural resources. Professors advise choosing topics in this branch that focus more on social issues. Think about the nations that are battling one another right now. Keep track of the conflict’s origins and impact at various points. Several topics for research are:

1. Afghanistan Conflict
2. Social Networks and Protest Movements
3. Mexico and Immigrants Crisis
4. Syrian Government Repression
5. Civil War Causes and Peculiarities
6. Reagan’s Political Agenda
7. Iraq War and History of War Crimes
8. Yemen Conflict Resolution Methods
9. War In Donbass: Russia’s Aggression In Ukraine
10. Causes of Rebellion in the Central African Republic

#9. Conflict Resolution

This topic focuses on peaceful ways to settle disputes like gender discrimination in the workplace, child custody disputes, and even international wars involving multiple nations. Since there is initially a socio-cultural debate, these conflicts frequently connect to social studies project issues. A methodology, compelling argument, background information, and a clear structure are used to assess the conflict. The topics listed below can assist you in deciding what to work with:

1. Conflicts of African American Prisoners
2. Arctica Power Distribution
3. Iran Oil Conflict
4. News Coverage Media Bias
5. The United States Foreign Policy
6. Political Leaders and Their Personal Ambitions
7. Concession Between Right- and Left-wing Parties
8. Post-War Countries Issues Art Legacy
9. Security Leadership Conflicts After 9/11
10. Afghanistan Collaboration Methods

#10. Mediation And Negotiation

Although less formal, negotiation is comparable to arbitration. It focuses on identifying a workable solution to settle differences. The following are some topics of issues in this category:

1. Volunteering and Social Movements
2. War Time Negotiation Methods
3. American Modern Whistleblowers
4. Transnational Corporation Legal Clashes
5. Mediation Hearing Preparation Process
6. Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods
7. Elections Agenda Analysis
8. Mediation policies Vs. Civil Law Court
9. Hostage Care in Foreign Countries Negotiation
10. Case Study Analysis of Mediation Agreement

See Also Study Methods: What Are the Effective Study Guides For Students?

Other Research Topic Ideas On Political Science to Explore

1. Political Psychology
2. Culture and Politics
3. An Overview Of Political Science
4. Famous Political Decisions
5. Terrorism as A Political Instrument
6. Civil Wars Causes and Consequences
7. An Overview Of Populism
8. Social Movements In Politics
9. Different Types of Electoral Systems
10. The Similarities Of Totalitarian Regimes
11. Politics and Open Societies
12. Principles of Work in Divided Governments
13. Positivism: pros and cons
14. Politics in media
15. Rational Choice Theory
16. Cultural pluralism
17. Nationalism versus globalization
18. Constructivism: pros and cons
19. Public Relations in Politics
20. Politics and Corruption

Conclusion

There are now many options for political science study subjects, so pick one that you feel most at ease with. Furthermore, it needs to be a topic that interests you.

For the most realistic experience, it’s also crucial to conduct your research utilizing only reliable sources. To get a better grade, pay attention to how your paper is organized.

FAQs On Research Topics On Political Science

References

• https://www.thesishelpers.com
• https://www.polisci.washington.edu

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