Chapter 5 : Interdisciplinary Perspective on Political Science

Interdisciplinary Perspective on Political Science

The Interdisciplinary Approach

The term discipline refers to a branch of learning or field of study (e.g., history, physics). Social sciences are systematic studies of the institutions and functioning of human society, human behaviour, and interpersonal relationships (e.g., political science, economics, sociology). Some disciplines bridge physical and social sciences (e.g., physical vs. human geography).

The interdisciplinary approach occurs when a study relies on, draws from, or contributes to more than one discipline to understand a common problem or phenomenon.

• Implications for Political Science:

1. Using findings, theories, and models of other social sciences to understand political phenomena.
2. Verifying political science theories using data from other disciplines.
3. Developing a broader perspective to contribute back to other social sciences.

• Core Rule: Expanding the scope must be purposeful. Inquiries into economics, sociology, or psychology must be done strictly to understand their impact on politics, not for their own sake.

Genesis of the Interdisciplinary Approach

While a recent trend, rudimentary forms existed in traditional political thought:

• Plato (Ancient Greek philosopher): Argued that family structure and education deeply affect the character of rulers in an 'ideal state'.
• Aristotle (Ancient Greek philosopher): Demonstrated a causal relation between the distribution of wealth/status and the type of political regime.
• Charles de Montesquieu (1689–1755, French philosopher): Inquired into the social-psychological foundations of different forms of government.
• Karl Marx (1818–83) and Friedrich Engels (1820–95) (German philosophers): Developed the first systematic interdisciplinary approach in the mid-nineteenth century. They located the primary source of political behaviour in socio-economic factors (technological development, mode of material production, and class structure).
• Modern liberal thinkers: Persistently demonstrate that understanding the political process requires understanding various social factors.

Characteristics of the Interdisciplinary Approach

Product of Empirical Orientation

The empirical method relies on factual information, observation, and direct sense-experience (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) rather than pure speculation. Political science was a late-starter to empirical orientation compared to anthropology, sociology, economics, and psychology (which spun off from philosophy in the late 19th century).

Traditional vs. Empirical Political Science

Focus on Political Behaviour and Systems Analysis

Empirical orientation shifted the discipline's focus…