Political Science Departments Research Articles

Methodology Matters: Emplotting Interpretivism in Contemporary Political Science and International Studies

Abstract The visibility and adoption of interpretive research approaches in the post-Perestroika period have increased in the United States, yet common knowledge within political science (PS) and international studies (IS) departments still signals their marginality. This paper stems from the observation that interpretive scholars often share autobiographical narratives or “journey stories” describing how they came to embrace interpretive research despite socio-institutional obstacles. Based on semi-structured interviews and participant observation, it asks: What do the journey stories of both new and established scholars engaged in interpretivism reveal about the sociology of PS and IS academies? Our findings reveal a widespread perception that interpretivism is gaining a foothold in the United States while intimating the spread of neopositivist hegemony, to some degree, to academies abroad. We show how scholars make use of the label “interpretivism” and identify key diffusion pathways responsible for interpretivism’s wider recognition today. In addition, we find that despite shared assumptions of neopositivist hegemony, our interlocutors pursue interpretive research because it provides them with epistemological and experiential congruence. Their journey stories, we argue, point toward an evolving methodological landscape in PS and IS, which in turn shapes what forms of knowledge production are considered legitimate and valuable.

Replicating “Language Matters”: Taking Baselines into Account

Abstract This study evaluates the visibility of French-speaking scholars in Canadian political science by analyzing the reading materials assigned in Canadian politics courses. Extending Daoust et al.'s (2022) research, we establish a baseline for their calculations and build an original dataset gathered from all political science departments’ websites and Google Scholar. Our analysis based on three assumptions about the expected academic representation of francophones—Canada's linguistic composition, the makeup of political science departments and faculty members’ productivity—reveals a discrepancy favouring anglophone scholars by up to four percentage points. Our findings extend Daoust et al.'s (2022) contribution by highlighting a similar language-based bias in overall citation practices among Canadian scholars, with French-speaking authors being significantly under-cited compared to their English-speaking counterparts despite demonstrating higher levels of overall productivity. Implications for the future of the discipline are also discussed.

Political Participation Among Scheduled Castes: A Study on West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh

Political Participation Among Scheduled Castes: A Study on West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors”. ―Plato “Plato had no perception of the uniqueness of every individual, of his incommensurability with others, of each individual as forming a class of his own. He had no recognition of the infinite diversity of active tendencies, and the combination of tendencies of which an individual is capable.” ― Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste KONDAPALLI SRINIVASU, M.A. Research Scholar Department of Political Science and Public Administration Andhra University, Visakhapatnam PETETI PREMANANDAM M.A., B.L., B.Lisc., PGDSM., Ph.D. Professor and Head of the Department Department of Political Science and Public Administration Andhra University, Visakhapatnam ABSTRACT India's democracy is the largest among countries in the world. The National Election Commission Report of India listed 900 million eligible voters, 468 million male and 432 million female. These Indian voters were spread over 29 states. A notable element of the 2019, 17th Lok Sabha Election was the participation of 15 million first-time voters aged 18–19. Only 14.39 percent of the 2019 Parliament was female, with 78 MPs. In comparison, 85.61 percent of the group was male (464). General Elections 2019, the National Election Planner, reports 3,66,61,315 Andhra Pradesh voters. According to NEP data, AP has 18,123,437 men, 18,474,714 women, and 3,745 others as voters. The Electoral Roll 2019 contains 56,908 services and 2,511 abroad Indian electors. Female voters grew by 3,51,277, or 1.93 percent. Andhra Pradesh has 539,804 18–19-year-old voters. Political engagement and understanding are essential to any political system. These tools make voters efficient and link them to politics. The International Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences defines political involvement as the main way a democracy grants or revokes consent and holds power accountable to the people. It includes voting, acquiring information, discussing and persuading, attending meetings, donating, and communicating with representatives. Democracy and political participation are linked. Participation lets citizens express their interests. It fosters national stability and organization. It maximizes benefits for most people. Scholars define political participation differently depending on how they understand the different sorts of political activity. Growth generally requires involvement. The UNDP's "Human Development Report 1993" lists four interconnected forms of involvement: family, economic, socio-cultural, and political.

Student`s Understanding toward Rural Development Development after Learning from Local Visit by the Faculty of Education Souphanouvong University; During Academic Year of 2018 - 2020

This research aimed to investigate the students’ understanding toward rural development after learning from local visit at rural areas by Faculty of Education Souphanouvong University, which is a subject that belongs to the political science curriculum of Faculty of Education, Souphanouvong University. The research was to gain insights regarding the understanding level by using the pretest and posttest to assess their learning progress, then compared means of those scores with the variable of their residence origins, The sampling students focused on 58 students (27 Women students included) of political science department, the instrument of this research was an objective test with multiple choice with IOC = 1.00 and difficulty level ranged between 0.40-0.86; and the reliability was of 0.84; there are two steps of assessment including of before and after local visiting with the same questionnaire The research findings revealed that 1). The students` understand about rural development policy after local visit was significant higher with the compared mean of posttest remark after local visit was significant different Sig .05, and 2). The students` understand about rural development policy after local visit compared to residence origins were not significant different.

Pedagogical Deficiencies in Political Science Doctoral Programs: Current Practices or Lack Thereof

Over a decade ago Ishiyama, Miles, and Balarezo (2010) published their work on the pedagogical training opportunities for political science doctoral students in the United States. The authors surveyed PhD-granting political science departments and found that pedagogical training for doctoral students was scant. Despite its age, the work remains influential and cited by scholars concerned with the state of teaching-training in the discipline. In this paper I uncover that little progress has been made in training opportunities for political science graduate students. Interviews with faculty in 66 PhD-granting departments reveal that less than a fifth of departments require students to complete credit-bearing courses and a plurality require no pedagogical training. Several departments have outsourced pedagogical training and do not maintain data on student completion. As such, many graduate students remain inadequately prepared for careers in higher education. I conclude by echoing colleagues who call for increased attention on pedagogical training, and for a benefit structure rewarding high quality teaching.

Особенности восприятия поколением Z эволюции молодежной политики в современной России

The article presents results of the study of characteristics of the attitude of generation Z to state youth policy in modern Russia. Based on the analysis of various interpretations of generation Z, presented in domestic social science, it was concluded that it is possible to talk about its uniform characteristics only with a large degree of convention, taking into account the commonality of ubiquitous Internet communications that influence formation of the worldview and lifestyle of young people. The empirical basis of the article consists of materials from focus groups and online surveys of young people (2021 n = 519; 2022 n = 2021; 2023 n = 852) conducted by the faculty of Political Science Department, Saratov State University, under the leadership of the author. Based on these materials, it was proved that there are no uniform typological characteristics of modern Russian youth, which is heterogeneous and continues to differ not only in age and gender criteria, but also in ideological and sociocultural grounds, ideological preferences, place of residence, level of education and financial situation. In general, the study showed that, despite the presence of positive trends in the perception of state youth policy in modern Russia in the last two years (as well as other areas of state policy in various spheres of public life), the most important fact is that the share of opposition-minded among young people remains at a fairly high level (about a third of respondents). The greatest political motivation for opposition is inherent in young supporters of liberalism. Socio-economic motivation is more characteristic of supporters of “left” ideologies.

Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Punjab Pakistan.

This research paper investigates the profound influence of the International Monetary Fund on the economy of Pakistan from 2013 to 2022. Pakistan has been engaged with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) since 1958. Over this period, Pakistan has entered multiple agreements with the IMF, shaping its economic policies significantly. This study employs a comprehensive analysis of IMF programs and their impact either negative or positive on Pakistan's economic landscape. By employing a case study approach, historical analysis, quantitative assessments, and qualitative perspectives, this paper aims to unveil the intricate dynamics between the IMF's directives and Pakistan's economy. It explores how IMF policies, often linked to loan agreements, have influenced Pakistan's autonomy in economic policymaking, impacted sectors like education and healthcare, and shaped the nation's fiscal policies. The research seeks to offer insights into the multifaceted relationship between international economic organizations, particularly the IMF, and the economy of Pakistan.

Interview with Professor Ram Bahadur Chhetri

Professor Ram Bahadur Chhetri was born in Dehradun, India, on April 4, 1952. He comes from a military and peasant socio-cultural background. After completing his high school education in Nagaland, India, he received his Intermediate and Bachelor's degrees at Prithvi Narayan Campus in Pokhara, Nepal. He was initially enrolled in the Master's in Political Science program at the Central Department of Political Science at Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal. However, circumstances led him to earn an MA in Anthropology from Pune University in Maharashtra, India, in 1980. He eventually earned a PhD from the University of Hawaii, USA, in 1990.

Decolonizing Theories of Regional Integration

Interview with Dr. Ernest Toochi Aniche, Federal University Otuoke, Nigeria Ernest Toochi Aniche, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer and the Acting Head of the Department of Political Science, Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. He holds BSc, MSc, and PhD degrees from the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria with a specialization in International Relations. He is developing a new theory of African Integration (Post-Neofunctionalism), deconstructing the traditional Neo-functionalist approach. Dr. Aniche is a prolific scholar with over a hundred publications, including articles in dozens of the world’s most renowned African studies journals. He has also published co-edited books and authored and co-authored chapters in books published by reputable publishers such as Routledge (Taylor & Francis), Palgrave Macmillan (Springer Nature), Rowman & Littlefield International, Lexington Books, and Oxford University Press. The highlight of his career was co-editing books with the African scholar legend, Professor Toyin Falola. He is on the editorial boards of journals and publishers, particularly Springer Nature (SN) Social Sciences, Ubuntu: Journal of Conflict and Social Transformation, and Cambridge Scholars Publishing. In his interview, he explains what prompted him to develop his own theory of African integration, which would actually contribute to the development of the continent. He explains the reasons for the crisis tendencies of modern African regionalism, a manifestation of which is the creation of the Sahel State Alliance. He pays particular attention to the prospects for decolonizing social knowledge about Africa. He provides inspiring cases of those African intellectuals who were able to transform the study of politics from Political Science in Africa to African Political Science, as well as to decolonize African regionalism and African border and migration studies.

Два года СВО: динамика изменения отношения молодежи

The article presents results of a study of young people’s attitude towards the Special Military Operation (hereinafter – the SMO). Data from monthly measurements carried out from March 2022 to January 2024 by Levada Center (recognized as a foreign agent in Russia), as well as the results of two online surveys (n = 2872) and a series of focus group interviews of young people (n = 74) conducted in November 2022 and November 2023 by employees of the Department of Political Science of Saratov State University are analyzed. It turned out that young people assess what is happening more moderately than society as a whole. At the same time, the majority of young people still support the SMO itself, but the level of this support is significantly lower than that of representatives of older ages. The degree of approval of decisions to carry out partial mobilization and to include four new regions in Russia turned out to be below 50%. Regarding the preferred options for continuing the conflict, there are more young people who are in favor of starting peace negotiations with Ukraine. Possible reasons for more skeptical attitude of young people towards the SMO are formulated, i.e. age features of representatives of this social group; specificity of the conditions in which their political socialization took place (ideological vacuum at a certain stage was filled with Western values, some of which do not correspond to the national culture, traditions and mentality of Russians); features of media consumption by modern youth and imperfections in information support for the SMO by media resources loyal to the state government. One of the ways to improve the current situation is substantiated.

Gavel to Ground: Examining the Effectiveness and Efficacy of Project Karunungan in Enhancing Local Governance and Its Future Direction

In the context of local governance, careful implementation of parliamentary procedures during meetings is of great concern. In 2019, Project Karunungan, a training workshop program, was born from cooperation between the Political Science Department of Mindanao State University and the Local Government Unit of General Santos City, Philippines. The initiative's primary goal is to educate barangay officials about Robert's Rules of Order principles. This paper is qualitative and quantitative research, drawing arguments from interviews and surveys. The correct parliamentary process significantly improves local governance by providing a formal framework for decision-making and guaranteeing fairness, openness, and accountability. This paper advances the significance of Project Karunungan to new heights as a continuous program to produce better leaders.

BENEFITS OF INTERNSHIP ACCORDING TO POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION STUDENTS

A step has been taken in higher education towards the specialization of universities. In line with this step, a trend towards internship applications has started in the political science and public administration departments of universities. There is a gap in the literature on studies related to internships in these departments. The present study aims to fill said gap. The purpose of the study is to explore the benefits of internship through the opinions of political science and public administration students. The study was conducted descriptively employing the qualitative research method with a single case design. The participants of the study were identified using the purposive sampling method and typical case sampling. The participants were students of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Aksaray University. The internship program in the department had been recently initiated at the request of the students. Seven students out of a total of ten students who had completed their internship were the participants of the study. Observations, interviews and document analysis were used as data collection tools. Semi-structured interview questions were used in the interviews. The collected data were transferred to the Maxqda 2022 software for coding. Categories were generated based on these codes and themes were identified based on the categories. At the end of the study, the benefits of internship were grouped under two themes. The first theme is “Benefits of internship for students” and the second one is “Benefits of internship for the faculty”.

Un especialista en realismo político clásico y en la obra de Hans Kelsen: entrevista a Robert Schuett

Robert Schuett, a former career civil servant (2011-2022), is currently a non-resident professor in international relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, a visiting fellow at the Department of Political Science at the University of Salzburg, as well as an honorary member of the School of Governance and International Affairs at the University of Durham, England. Robert Schuett was awarded a master’s degree by research in 2005 and a PhD in 2009, both in Political Science from the School of Governance and International Affairs at Durham University; the supervisor of his doctoral thesis was John C. Williams (Durham University), and his external evaluators were Chris J. Brown (London School of Economics) and Richard Little (University of Bristol). In 2007, he completed a doctoral research stay at LUISS University in Rome and, in 2010, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, San Diego, USA. He currently lives and works in Vienna. Robert Schuett’s main areas of interest are political philosophy, international relations, and political methodology. He is particularly interested in the classical approach to political and legal theory, economics and society, ethics, and justice. Professor Robert Schuett has authored and edited numerous works, including Hans Kelsen’s Political Realism (2021), The Edinburgh Companion to Political Realism (2018), The Concept of the State in International Relations: Philosophy, Sovereignty, Cosmopolitanism (2015), and Political Realism, Freud, and Human Nature in International Relations: The Resurrection of the Realism Man (2010).

МОНГОЛЫН УЛС ТӨРИЙН НАМЫН ҮЗЭЛ БАРИМТЛАЛ, ТҮҮНИЙ ХЭРЭГЖИЛТИЙН ЗАРИМ АСУУДАЛ

There has not been much theoretical and empirical research on the political party concept and the party program developed according to it. Therefore, in 2022, the professors and researchers of the Department of Political Science and the Center for Democracy Studies of the National University of Mongolia carried out an expert study on the topic "Mongolia's political development since 1990: processes, relations and attitudes". Out of the total 7 points, the experts who participated in the survey said that the platforms of the political parties participating in the elections have their own characteristics and are not different, with 2.8 points. With a score of 2.23, the values of political parties in Mongolia are not clear and understandable, with a score of 2.21, the political party's election platform does not match its ideals, and with a score of 2.09, voters are unable to make a choice after reviewing the election platform developed according to the political party's ideals, which means that the parties do not adhere to their ideals, directly showing that it is not important.

From “Dar-es-Salaam” to “Brill”: Beyond the North-South Polarity in Publishing Scientific Journals

Abstract The African Review (TARE) was founded in March 1971 by the Department of Political Science of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), focusing primarily on decolonising the interpretation of significant events in African politics, monopolised by foreign experts. After the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the journal slightly shifted to publish contemporary issues of globalisation, development, and African affairs aiming at addressing the North-South knowledge divide. As a journal in the South, it has for many years suffered from the challenges of ineffective systems of management, processing, production and distribution. Attempting to address these challenges, in June 2019, the UDSM signed an agreement with Brill to publish TARE. In the agreement, Brill provides the journal with infrastructural systems and undertakes the final production and distribution of the journal. The UDSM, on the other hand, retains ownership of the journal copyright and performs all the editorial activities. This agreement has significantly institutionalised and improved the journal’s quality, management, processing, production, distribution and international visibility. This paper holds that the future of journals from the Global South hinges on collaboration with established publishers. The experience of TARE indicates that when a journal retains ownership and decision-making powers in a collaboration, it exhibits high potential for success.

The Nexus between Citizen Participation and Engagement in Elections and Development in Ghana: Empirical Evidence from Voters in Four Electorally-Swing Constituencies in Ghana

The Nexus between Citizen Participation and Engagement in Elections and Development in Ghana: Empirical Evidence from Voters in Four Electorally-Swing Constituencies in Ghana
 *Gbensuglo Alidu Bukari 
 Department of Political Science
 University for Development Studies, Tamale-Ghana
 E-mail: gbukari@uds.edu.gh
 
 Eliasu Mumuni
 Department of Communication, Innovation and Technology
 University for Development Studies, Tamale-Ghana
 Email: meliasu@uds.edu.gh
 
 Adam Osman Oscar
 Department of Logistics and Procurement Management
 Tamale Technical University, Tamale-Ghana
 oadamosman@tatu.edu.gh
 
 Abstract
 This paper establishes the relationship between individual citizens' voting participation in national elections and their felt socio-economic outcomes in Ghana. The paper adopts a micro-level approach and utilises data from a random sample of 600 respondents in four electorally-swing constituencies. The aim is to ascertain their views on a range of socio-economic issues related to elections and felt individual and community outcomes. The analysis of the results was conducted using standard multi-regression. The results of the analysis established that the relationship between individual and household economic welfare related to personal income, employment opportunities, personal and household educational opportunities and personal and household health status and voting participation is varied. The conclusion is that the unique circumstances of voter participation and choice in an election in the electorally-swing constituencies in the country are contingent on superior socio-economic policies of an incumbent government or political parties in electoral competition with the aspiration to win political power and dominance in a future electoral contest in Ghana. Therefore, based on the results, the enhancement of democracy through active participation in the political and electoral processes should place a premium on inclusive access of citizens to income, health, education and employment opportunities.
 Keywords: elections, democracy, participation, engagement, development, voting behaviour, Ghana

An Incomplete Recognition: An Analysis of Political Science Department Statements after the Murder of George Floyd

As a discipline centered on power, political science provides an important window into potential responses to episodes of heightened attention to long-standing racial violence and inequality in the United States. During the summer of 2020, political science departments, like many other entities, issued public statements in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd and the long and ongoing history of deadly violence against Black people at the hands of law enforcement. This paper examines these statements, providing a descriptive analysis of themes raised and types of commitments to action. Rhetorical responses to racism constitute important sites for understanding how discursive power is deployed. Ultimately, we observe that proposed solutions contained in statements are not commensurate with the structural understanding of racism encapsulated in statements. These statements suggest that the status quo prevails even among those who study power. We document limited commitments to addressing racism in political statements.

Türkiye stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people!

Üsküdar University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Assoc. Prof. Ali Demir evaluated Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' upcoming visit to Ankara.

Was the result determined by disgruntled voters who did not go to the polls?

Üsküdar University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Political Science and International Relations (English) and Postcolonial Studies Application and Research Center (PAMER) Director Asst. Prof. Fehmi Ağca evaluated the results of the 31 March 2024 Local Administrations General Election.

What will change with female leaders?

Üsküdar University, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Asst. Prof. Selin Karana evaluated the election of women mayors in 11 provinces in the March 31 local elections.