Subject Area: Politics
Is political science like the natural sciences in terms of its aims and methods? Or is it more like journalism or perhaps interpreting a text? Examines debates in political science over its subject matter and mission, and over what political knowledge is and how it is acquired. The focus is on 'landmark' studies in political science and influential works in the philosophy of science. Topics include the nature of political phenomena and political explanation; different approaches to political research; and how contending theories and knowledge claims may be evaluated.