What is political science?
Political science is the study
of politics and government
using the tools of social science.
Political scientists use
the same scientific method
that natural scientists use.
That is, state a question, use a theory,
generate hypotheses, gather some data,
draw a test, and then make a conclusion.
But instead of studying cells
or plants or forces of nature,
political scientists study
people and the institutions
that they create to try
to solve social problems
or not solve them as the case may be.
Studying political science
helps train the mind
in areas of quantitative reasoning
and analytical thinking,
which are eminently useful skills
in many job markets.
In addition, all citizens
practice politics in their lives,
either contributing to or consenting
with collective decisions.
So political science, like the conflict
we study as political scientists,
is in our human nature.
