"Political philosophy or political theory is the philosophical study of government, addressing questions about the nature, scope, and legitimacy of public agents and institutions and the relationships between them."
A critical examination of the philosophical foundations of political systems and institutions, including debates around justice, equality, freedom, and democracy.
What is Political Theory?: An introduction to the study of political theory, its objectives, scope, and methods.
Power and Authority: An exploration of the nature and sources of power and authority in political systems.
Democracy: An examination of the different conceptual frameworks and theoretical debates surrounding the concept of democracy.
Liberty and Equality: An assessment of the tension between individual liberty and social equality in political theory, and the different ways in which theorists have attempted to reconcile these two ideals.
State and Sovereignty: An analysis of the origins and significance of the modern state, its authority, and its relationship to other political entities.
Rights: An investigation of the concept of rights, their sources and justifications, and their implications for political institutions and practices.
Justice: An inquiry into the nature and scope of justice, its various forms, and its role in political theory.
Gender and Politics: An exploration of the ways in which gender shapes political institutions, practices, and norms, and the feminist critiques of mainstream political theory.
Multiculturalism: A consideration of the challenges and opportunities posed by multiculturalism and diversity in modern political systems.
Globalization: An assessment of the challenges and opportunities posed by globalization, including its impact on state sovereignty, democracy, and social justice.
Environmental Political Theory: An analysis of the different theoretical perspectives on the relationship between humans and the environment, and the implications of these perspectives for environmental policy and action.
International Relations: An exploration of the theories and concepts that seek to explain and guide the behavior of states and other global actors in the international system.
Liberalism: Liberalism is a political ideology emphasizing individual rights, limited government intervention, and the promotion of equality and personal freedom.
Conservatism: Conservatism refers to a political ideology and philosophy that prioritizes tradition, gradual change, and the preservation of existing institutions and values.
Socialism: Socialism is a socio-economic system advocating for collective ownership of the means of production, equitable distribution of wealth, and an emphasis on social welfare and equality.
Marxism: Marxism is a political theory that seeks to understand and analyze class struggle and advocate for the establishment of a socialist society based on the principles of economic equality.
Anarchism: Anarchism is a political ideology that advocates for the abolition of hierarchical authority and the establishment of a stateless, self-governed society based on voluntary cooperation and mutual aid.
Feminism: Feminism is a political and social movement advocating for gender equality and challenging patriarchal systems and structures.
Green Theory: Green Theory is an ideological framework that emphasizes the importance of ecological sustainability and environmental ethics in politics, advocating for the integration of environmental concerns into decision-making processes and policies.
Postmodernism: Postmodernism in political theory challenges traditional grand narratives, critiquing hierarchical power structures, and emphasizing the role of language and discourse in shaping political realities.
Postcolonialism: Postcolonialism is a theoretical framework that examines the social, cultural, and political effects of colonialism and the power dynamics that persist after the end of direct colonial rule.
Realism: Realism is a political theory that emphasizes the primacy of power, state interests, and international anarchy in shaping world politics.
Idealism: Idealism in Political Science and Political Theory refers to the belief that ethical and moral values should shape political systems, emphasizing the importance of justice, equality, and the pursuit of the "ideal" society.
Constructivism: Constructivism in political science and political theory is a perspective that focuses on the role of ideas, norms, and social constructs in shaping political behavior and outcomes.
Critical Theory: Critical Theory is a perspective that aims to analyze and challenge structures of power, inequality, and oppression within society.
Neoconservatism: Neoconservatism is a political ideology characterized by a belief in utilizing American power to promote democracy, free markets, and assertive foreign policy.
Neoliberalism: Neoliberalism refers to a political and economic ideology that advocates for free markets, privatization, deregulation, and limited government intervention.
Communitarianism: Communitarianism is a political theory that prioritizes the collective good and emphasizes social cohesion and communal values over individual rights and autonomy.
Republicanism: Republicanism is a political ideology centered around the belief in a representative government where power is held by the people and exercised through elected officials.
Libertarianism: Libertarianism is a political ideology that emphasizes individual liberty, limited government intervention, and free-market principles.
Legal Theory: Legal Theory is the study of the principles, interpretations, and applications of law, exploring its nature, purpose, and the relationship between law and society.
International Relations Theory: International Relations Theory is the study and analysis of how nation-states interact with one another on the global stage and the theoretical frameworks used to explain these interactions.
Feminist International Relations Theory: Feminist International Relations Theory examines gender norms, power dynamics, and inequalities within global politics, challenging traditional perspectives and highlighting the experiences and contributions of women in international relations.
Rationalism: Rationalism in political science and political theory refers to the belief that human behavior and decision-making in politics are driven by logical reasoning and rational calculations rather than emotions or instincts.
Behavioralism: Behavioralism is an approach that focuses on the study of political behavior and decision-making processes based on empirical evidence, emphasizing the importance of observable actions over abstract concepts or theories.
Institutionalism.: Institutionalism in political science and political theory focuses on the study and analysis of formal and informal structures, rules, and organizations that shape and govern political behavior and decision-making processes.
"Its topics include politics, liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of laws by authority: what they are, if they are needed, what makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect, what form it should take, what the law is, and what duties citizens owe to a legitimate government, if any, and when it may be legitimately overthrown, if ever."
"Political theory also engages questions of a broader scope, tackling the political nature of phenomena and categories such as identity, culture, sexuality, race, wealth, human-nonhuman relations, ethics, religion, and more."
"Political philosophy is a branch of philosophy, but it has also played a major part of political science, within which a strong focus has historically been placed on both the history of political thought and contemporary political theory (from normative political theory to various critical approaches)."
"For a long time, the challenge for the identity of political theory has been how to position itself productively in three sorts of location: in relation to the academic disciplines of political science, history, and philosophy."
"Between the world of politics and the more abstract, ruminative register of theory."
"Between canonical political theory and the newer resources (such as feminist and critical theory, discourse analysis, film and film theory, popular and political culture, mass media studies, neuroscience, environmental studies, behavioral science, and economics) on which political theorists increasingly draw."
"[...] an interdisciplinary endeavor whose center of gravity lies at the humanities end of the happily still undisciplined discipline of political science."
"But in French and Spanish, the plural (sciences politiques and ciencias políticas, respectively) is used, perhaps a reflection of the discipline's eclectic nature."
"[...] between the academic disciplines of political science, history, and philosophy."
"[...] between the world of politics and the more abstract, ruminative register of theory."
"[...] politics, liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of laws by authority."
"[...] the nature, scope, and legitimacy of public agents and institutions and the relationships between them."
"[...] on which political theorists increasingly draw."
"[...] the history of political thought and contemporary political theory."
"[...] feminism and critical theory, discourse analysis, film and film theory, popular and political culture, mass media studies, neuroscience, environmental studies, behavioral science, and economics."
"[...] addressing questions about the nature, scope, and legitimacy of public agents and institutions and the relationships between them."
"[...] what makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect, what form it should take, what the law is, and what duties citizens owe to a legitimate government."
"[...] both the history of political thought and contemporary political theory."
"[...] an interdisciplinary endeavor."