research topics on political science education

Political Science Research Paper Topics

800 Political Science Research Paper Topics

Political science is a dynamic field that offers a multitude of avenues for exploration and inquiry. Whether you are passionate about the intricacies of American politics, fascinated by global affairs, or interested in the intersection of politics with social issues, there’s a wealth of research opportunities awaiting you. This comprehensive list of political science research paper topics has been meticulously curated to help students like you find inspiration and direction for your academic endeavors. Spanning various categories, these topics encompass both foundational principles and contemporary issues, ensuring a diverse range of subjects for your research. As you navigate this extensive collection, let your intellectual curiosity guide you towards a research topic that resonates with your interests and academic goals.

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African Politics

• The Role of Youth Movements in African Politics
• Assessing the Impact of Neocolonialism on African Nations
• Conflict Resolution Strategies in African States
• Corruption and Governance Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Women’s Participation in African Political Leadership
• Comparative Analysis of Post-Colonial African Constitutions
• Environmental Policies and Sustainability in African Governments
• The African Union’s Role in Regional Stability
• Ethnic Conflict and Politics in East Africa
• Human Rights Violations and Accountability in African Nations
• The Influence of International Aid on African Politics
• Media Censorship and Press Freedom in African Nations
• Ethnicity and Identity Politics in West Africa
• Healthcare Access and Quality in African Countries
• Indigenous Governance and Rights in African Societies
• Political Economy and Resource Allocation in Oil-Producing Nations
• The Impact of Globalization on African Economies
• The Legacy of Apartheid in South African Politics
• The African Diaspora’s Influence on Homeland Politics
• Environmental Conservation and Natural Resource Management in Africa

American Politics

• The Role of Third Parties in American Elections
• Analyzing the Influence of Lobbying on U.S. Policy
• The Impact of Social Media on Political Campaigns
• Immigration Policies and the American Dream
• Gerrymandering and Its Effects on Electoral Outcomes
• The Role of the Electoral College in Presidential Elections
• Gun Control and Second Amendment Debates
• Healthcare Policy and Access in the United States
• Partisanship and Polarization in American Politics
• The History and Future of American Democracy
• Supreme Court Decisions and Their Political Implications
• Environmental Policies and Climate Change in the U.S.
• Media Bias and Political Discourse in America
• Political Conventions and Their Significance
• The Role of Super PACs in Campaign Financing
• Civil Rights Movements and Their Impact on U.S. Politics
• Trade Policy and Global Economic Relations
• National Security and Counterterrorism Strategies
• Populism and Its Influence on American Politics
• Electoral Reform and Voting Rights in the United States

Asian Politics

• China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Global Politics
• Democracy Movements in Hong Kong and Taiwan
• India’s Foreign Policy and Regional Influence
• The North Korea Nuclear Crisis
• Environmental Challenges in Southeast Asian Nations
• Ethnic Conflict and Identity Politics in South Asia
• Economic Growth and Inequality in East Asian Countries
• ASEAN’s Role in Regional Security
• Japan’s Approach to Pacifism and Defense
• Cybersecurity and Cyber Warfare in Asia
• Religious Extremism and Political Stability in the Middle East
• China-India Border Dispute and Geopolitical Implications
• South China Sea Disputes and Maritime Politics
• The Rohingya Crisis and Humanitarian Interventions
• Political Reform and Authoritarianism in Central Asia
• Technological Advancements and Political Change in Asia
• The Belt and Road Initiative and Its Impact on Asian Economies
• Environmental Conservation Efforts in Asian Nations
• Geopolitical Rivalries in the Indo-Pacific Region
• Media Censorship and Freedom of Expression in Asia
• Comparative Politics
• Comparative Analysis of Political Regimes: Democracies vs. Authoritarian States
• Theories of State Formation and Governance
• Electoral Systems Around the World
• Social Welfare Policies in Western and Non-Western Societies
• The Role of Civil Society in Political Change
• Political Parties and Their Impact on Governance
• Analyzing Political Culture in Diverse Societies
• Case Studies in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
• Federal vs. Unitary Systems of Government
• Gender and Political Representation Across Countries
• Immigration Policies and Integration Strategies
• Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination Movements
• Environmental Policies and Sustainability Practices
• Populist Movements in Contemporary Politics
• The Impact of Globalization on National Identities
• Human Rights Violations and Accountability Mechanisms
• Comparative Analysis of Welfare States
• Ethnic Conflict and Power Sharing Agreements
• Religious Diversity and Its Political Implications
• Social Movements and Political Change Across Regions
• Constitutions and Constitutionalism
• The Evolution of Constitutional Law: Historical Perspectives
• Judicial Review and Constitutional Interpretation
• Federalism and State Powers in Constitutional Design
• Comparative Analysis of National Constitutions
• Human Rights Provisions in Modern Constitutions
• Constitutional Amendments and Reform Efforts
• Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
• Constitutional Design in Post-Conflict Societies
• Constitutionalism and Indigenous Rights
• Challenges to Constitutional Democracy in the 21st Century
• Constitutions and Cultural Pluralism
• Environmental Provisions in Constitutions
• The Role of Constitutional Courts in Political Systems
• Social and Economic Rights in Constitutions
• Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law
• The Impact of Technological Advancements on Constitutional Governance
• Constitutional Protections for Minority Rights
• Constitutional Referendums and Public Participation
• Constitutional Provisions for Emergency Powers
• Gender Equality Clauses in National Constitutions
• Democracy and Democratization
• The Role of Civil Society in Democratization
• Democratic Backsliding: Causes and Consequences
• Comparative Analysis of Electoral Systems and Democracy
• The Impact of Media on Political Awareness and Democracy
• Political Parties and Their Role in Democratic Governance
• Women’s Political Participation and Representation in Democracies
• Democratic Transitions in Post-Authoritarian States
• Youth Movements and Their Influence on Democratization
• Populism and Its Effect on Democratic Norms
• Comparative Analysis of Direct vs. Representative Democracy
• Democratization and Economic Development
• Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Democratization
• The Role of International Organizations in Promoting Democracy
• Religious Diversity and Democracy in Multiethnic Societies
• The Challenges of Democratic Consolidation
• Media Freedom and Democratization in the Digital Age
• Human Rights and Democratic Governance
• Democratization and Conflict Resolution in Divided Societies
• Civil-Military Relations in Emerging Democracies
• Assessing the Quality of Democracy in Different Countries

Political Corruption

• The Impact of Corruption on Political Stability
• Corruption and Economic Development: A Comparative Analysis
• Anti-Corruption Measures and Their Effectiveness
• Corruption in Public Procurement and Government Contracts
• Political Scandals and Their Influence on Public Opinion
• The Role of Whistleblowers in Exposing Political Corruption
• Corruption and Its Impact on Foreign Aid and Investments
• Political Patronage and Nepotism in Government
• Transparency and Accountability Mechanisms
• Corruption and Environmental Exploitation
• Cultural Factors and Perceptions of Corruption
• Corruption in Law Enforcement and the Judiciary
• The Role of Media in Investigating Political Corruption
• Corruption and Political Party Financing
• Comparative Analysis of Corruption Levels in Different Countries
• Ethnicity and Corruption: Case Studies
• Political Corruption in Post-Conflict Societies
• Gender, Power, and Corruption
• Corruption and Human Rights Violations
• Strategies for Combating Political Corruption

European Politics

• The European Union’s Role in Global Governance
• Brexit and Its Implications for European Politics
• European Integration and Supranationalism
• Euroscepticism and Anti-EU Movements
• Immigration and European Identity
• Populist Parties in European Elections
• Environmental Policies in European Countries
• The Eurozone Crisis and Economic Governance
• EU Enlargement and Eastern European Politics
• Human Rights and European Integration
• Nationalism and Secession Movements in Europe
• Security Challenges in the Baltic States
• EU-US Relations and Transatlantic Cooperation
• Energy Policies and Dependency on Russian Gas
• The Common Agricultural Policy and Farming in Europe
• European Social Welfare Models and Inequality
• The Schengen Agreement and Border Control
• The Rise of Far-Right Movements in Western Europe
• EU Environmental Regulations and Sustainability
• The Role of the European Court of Justice in Shaping European Politics
• Comparative Analysis of Federal Systems
• Fiscal Federalism and Taxation in Federal States
• Federalism and Ethnic Conflict Resolution
• The Role of Governors in Federal Systems
• Intergovernmental Relations in Federal Countries
• Federalism and Healthcare Policy
• Environmental Federalism and Conservation Efforts
• Federalism and Immigration Policies
• Indigenous Rights and Self-Government in Federal States
• Federalism and Education Policy
• The Role of Regional Parties in Federal Politics
• Federalism and Disaster Response
• Energy Policy and Federal-State Relations
• Federalism and Criminal Justice Reform
• Local Autonomy and Decentralization in Federal Systems
• The Impact of Federal Systems on Economic Development
• Constitutional Reform and Changes in Federalism
• Federalism and Social Welfare Programs
• The European Model of Federalism
• Comparative Analysis of Dual and Cooperative Federalism
• Foreign Policy
• Diplomatic Strategies in International Relations
• The Influence of Public Opinion on Foreign Policy
• Economic Diplomacy and Trade Negotiations
• The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Foreign Policy
• Conflict Resolution and Peacekeeping Efforts
• International Human Rights Advocacy and Foreign Policy
• Soft Power and Cultural Diplomacy
• Nuclear Proliferation and Arms Control
• Cybersecurity and Foreign Policy Challenges
• Climate Diplomacy and Global Environmental Agreements
• Refugee and Migration Policies in International Relations
• The Impact of International Organizations on Foreign Policy
• Energy Security and Geopolitical Strategies
• Regional Alliances and Security Agreements
• Terrorism and Counterterrorism Strategies
• Humanitarian Interventions and Responsibility to Protect
• The Role of Intelligence Agencies in Foreign Policy
• Economic Sanctions and Their Effectiveness
• Foreign Aid and Development Assistance
• International Law and Treaty Negotiations
• Gender and Politics
• Gender Representation in Political Leadership
• The Impact of Women’s Movements on Gender Policy
• Gender-Based Violence and Political Responses
• Intersectionality and Identity Politics in Gender Advocacy
• Gender Mainstreaming in Government Policies
• LGBTQ+ Rights and Political Movements
• Women in Conflict Resolution and Peace Negotiations
• The Gender Pay Gap and Labor Policies
• Female Political Empowerment and Quotas
• Masculinity Studies and Political Behavior
• Gender and Environmental Justice
• The Role of Men in Promoting Gender Equality
• Gender Stereotypes and Political Campaigns
• Reproductive Rights and Political Debates
• Gender, Race, and Political Power
• Feminist Foreign Policy and Global Women’s Rights
• Gender and Healthcare Policy
• Gender Disparities in Education Access
• Gender, Technology, and Digital Divide
• Patriarchy and Its Effects on Political Systems
• Globalization and Politics
• The Impact of Globalization on National Sovereignty
• Trade Agreements and Their Political Implications
• Globalization and Income Inequality
• Environmental Policies in the Globalized World
• Cultural Diversity in a Globalized Society
• Globalization and Labor Movements
• Global Health Governance and Pandemics
• Migration and Political Responses to Globalization
• Technology and Global Political Connectivity
• Globalization and Political Populism
• Human Rights in a Globalized Context
• Globalization and the Spread of Political Ideas
• Global Supply Chains and Political Vulnerabilities
• Media and Information Flow in Global Politics
• Globalization and Terrorism Networks
• Transnational Corporations and Political Influence
• Globalization and Political Identity
• The Role of International Organizations in Managing Globalization
• Globalization and Climate Change Politics
• Globalization and Post-Pandemic Political Challenges
• Political Ideologies
• Liberalism and Its Contemporary Relevance
• Conservatism in Modern Political Thought
• Socialism and Its Variations in Different Countries
• Fascism and the Rise of Far-Right Ideologies
• Anarchism and Political Movements
• Marxism and Its Influence on Political Theory
• Environmentalism as a Political Ideology
• Feminism and Its Political Manifestations
• Populism as an Emerging Political Ideology
• Nationalism and Its Role in Contemporary Politics
• Multiculturalism and Political Pluralism
• Postcolonialism and Its Impact on Global Politics
• Postmodernism and Its Critique of Political Discourse
• Religious Political Ideologies and Fundamentalism
• Libertarianism and Minimalist Government
• Technological Utopianism and Political Change
• Eco-Socialism and Environmental Politics
• Identity Politics and Intersectional Ideologies
• Indigenous Political Thought and Movements
• Futurism and Political Visions of Tomorrow

Checks and Balances

• The Role of the Executive Branch in Checks and Balances
• Congressional Oversight and Accountability
• The Separation of Powers in Parliamentary Systems
• Checks and Balances in Local Government
• Media and Public Opinion as Checks on Government
• Bureaucratic Agencies and Their Role in Oversight
• The Balance of Power in Federal Systems
• The Role of Political Parties in Checks and Balances
• Checks and Balances in Authoritarian Regimes
• The Role of Interest Groups in Government Oversight
• The Influence of Lobbying on Checks and Balances
• The Role of the Courts in Presidential Accountability
• Checks and Balances in Times of National Crisis
• The Use of Veto Power in Checks and Balances
• Checks and Balances and the Protection of Civil Liberties
• The Role of Whistleblowers in Exposing Government Misconduct
• Checks and Balances and National Security Policies
• The Evolution of Checks and Balances in Modern Democracies
• Interest Groups and Lobbies
• The Influence of Corporate Lobbying on Public Policy
• Interest Groups and Campaign Finance in Politics
• Advocacy Groups and Their Impact on Legislative Agendas
• The Role of Unions in Interest Group Politics
• Environmental Organizations and Lobbying Efforts
• Identity-Based Interest Groups and Their Political Power
• Health Advocacy Groups and Healthcare Policy
• The Influence of Foreign Lobbying on U.S. Politics
• Interest Groups and Regulatory Capture
• Interest Groups in Comparative Politics
• The Use of Social Media in Interest Group Campaigns
• Gun Control Advocacy and Interest Group Dynamics
• Religious Organizations and Political Lobbying
• Interest Groups and Human Rights Advocacy
• Farming and Agricultural Interest Groups
• Interest Groups and Education Policy
• LGBTQ+ Advocacy and Political Representation
• Interest Groups and Criminal Justice Reform
• Veterans’ Organizations and Their Political Clout
• Interest Groups and Their Role in Shaping Public Opinion
• International Relations
• Theories of International Relations: Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism
• Power Politics and International Security
• The Role of Diplomacy in Conflict Resolution
• Multilateralism vs. Unilateralism in International Relations
• International Organizations and Their Influence on World Politics
• Global Governance and Challenges to Sovereignty
• Humanitarian Interventions and the Responsibility to Protect
• Non-State Actors in International Relations
• International Law and Its Application in Conflict Zones
• Arms Control Agreements and Nuclear Proliferation
• International Trade Agreements and Economic Diplomacy
• International Environmental Agreements and Climate Change
• Cybersecurity Threats in the Digital Age
• Refugee Crises and Forced Migration on the Global Stage
• Geopolitics of Energy Resources
• Peacekeeping Operations and Conflict Prevention
• Global Health Diplomacy and Pandemic Response
• The Role of Intelligence Agencies in International Relations
• The Changing Dynamics of U.S.-China Relations

International Security

• Cybersecurity Threats and Global Security
• Arms Control and Nuclear Non-Proliferation
• Regional Conflict and Security Implications
• Humanitarian Interventions and Security Dilemmas
• Intelligence Sharing and National Security
• Environmental Security and Resource Conflicts
• Non-State Actors in Global Security
• Maritime Security and Freedom of Navigation
• The Role of International Organizations in Global Security
• Military Alliances and Collective Defense
• Space Security and Militarization of Outer Space
• Cyber Warfare and State-Sponsored Hacking
• Security Challenges in Post-Conflict Zones
• Refugee Crises and Security Implications
• Emerging Technologies and Security Risks
• Energy Security and Geopolitical Tensions
• Food Security and Global Agricultural Policies
• Biological and Chemical Weapons Proliferation
• Climate Change and Security Threats

Latin American Politics

• Populism in Latin American Politics
• Drug Trafficking and Security Challenges
• Political Instability and Regime Changes
• Indigenous Movements and Political Representation
• Corruption Scandals and Governance Issues
• Environmental Politics and Conservation Efforts
• Social Movements and Protests in Latin America
• Economic Inequality and Poverty Reduction Strategies
• Human Rights Violations and Accountability
• The Role of the United States in Latin American Politics
• Regional Integration and Trade Agreements
• Gender Equality and Women in Politics
• Land Reform and Agrarian Policies
• Indigenous Rights and Land Conflicts
• Media Freedom and Political Discourse
• Migration Patterns and Regional Impacts
• Authoritarian Regimes and Democratic Backsliding
• Drug Legalization Debates in Latin America
• Religious Influence in Politics
• Latin American Diplomacy and International Relations
• Law and Courts
• Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law
• Constitutional Interpretation and Originalism
• Supreme Court Decision-Making and Precedent
• Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility
• Criminal Justice Reform and Sentencing Policies
• Civil Rights Litigation and Legal Activism
• International Law and Its Application in Domestic Courts
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms
• The Role of Judges in Shaping Public Policy
• Access to Justice and Legal Aid Programs
• Gender Bias in Legal Systems
• Intellectual Property Rights and Legal Challenges
• Immigration Law and Border Control
• Environmental Law and Sustainability
• Corporate Governance and Legal Compliance
• Privacy Rights in the Digital Age
• Family Law and Custody Disputes
• Law and Technology: Legal Issues in AI and Robotics
• Legal Education and Training of Lawyers
• Legal Pluralism and Customary Law Systems
• Legislative Studies
• The Role of Legislative Bodies in Policy-Making
• Parliamentary Systems vs. Presidential Systems
• Legislative Oversight and Government Accountability
• Party Politics and Legislative Behavior
• Committee Structures and Decision-Making Processes
• Electoral Systems and Their Impact on Legislation
• Minority Rights and Representation in Legislatures
• Lobbying and Interest Group Influence on Legislators
• Legislative Ethics and Codes of Conduct
• The Evolution of Legislative Bodies in Modern Democracies
• Legislative Responses to Crises and Emergencies
• Legislative Innovations and Reforms
• Legislative Responsiveness to Public Opinion
• Legislative Term Limits and Their Effects
• Gender Parity in Legislative Representation
• Legislative Coalitions and Majority Building
• Legislative Role in Budgetary Processes
• Legislative Oversight of Intelligence Agencies
• Subnational Legislatures and Regional Autonomy
• Comparative Analysis of Legislative Systems

Middle Eastern Politics

• The Arab Spring and Political Transformations
• Sectarianism and Conflict in the Middle East
• Authoritarianism and Political Repression
• The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and Peace Efforts
• Oil Politics and Resource-Driven Conflicts
• Terrorism and Insurgency in the Middle East
• Foreign Interventions and Proxy Wars
• Human Rights Abuses and Accountability
• Religious Politics and Extremism
• Migration and Refugees in the Middle East
• Women’s Rights and Gender Equality
• Political Islam and Islamist Movements
• Water Scarcity and Regional Tensions
• Media and Censorship in Middle Eastern States
• Kurdish Politics and Autonomy Movements
• Sectarianism and Its Impact on State Structures
• Economic Challenges and Youth Unemployment
• Environmental Issues and Sustainability
• Iran’s Role in Regional Politics
• Middle Eastern Diplomacy and Global Relations

Nation and State

• National Identity and Its Influence on Statehood
• Secession Movements and the Question of Statehood
• Stateless Nations and the Right to Self-Determination
• State-Building in Post-Conflict Zones
• Failed States and International Interventions
• Ethnic Nationalism and Nation-Building
• Federalism and Devolution of Powers
• State Symbols and Nationalism
• Nationalism and Economic Policies
• Colonial Legacy and the Formation of Nations
• Territorial Disputes and State Sovereignty
• Ethnic Minorities and Their Political Rights
• Globalization and the Erosion of Statehood
• Nationalism in the Era of Transnationalism
• Nationalist Movements and Regional Autonomy
• The Role of Education in Shaping National Identity
• National Symbols and Their Political Significance
• Migration and Its Impact on National Identity
• Cultural Diversity and Nation-Building Challenges
• The Role of Language in Defining Nationhood

Political Behavior

• Voter Turnout and Political Participation Rates
• Political Socialization and Civic Engagement
• Partisan Loyalty and Voting Behavior
• Political Trust and Public Opinion
• Political Apathy and Its Causes
• Political Mobilization Strategies
• Protest Movements and Activism
• Electoral Behavior and Decision-Making
• Political Communication and Information Sources
• Political Social Networks and Online Activism
• Political Behavior of Youth and Generational Differences
• Political Behavior of Minority Groups
• Gender and Political Participation
• Social Media Influence on Political Behavior
• Public Opinion Polling and Its Impact
• Political Psychology and Behavioral Analysis
• Political Behavior in Non-Democratic Systems
• Voting Behavior in Swing States
• Political Behavior in Times of Crisis
• Political Behavior Research Methodologies

Political Change

• Regime Change and Democratization
• Revolution and Political Transformation
• Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconciliation
• Political Leadership and Change Initiatives
• Nonviolent Movements and Political Change
• Social Movements and Policy Reforms
• The Role of Technology in Political Change
• Political Change in Authoritarian Regimes
• Youth-Led Political Change Movements
• Resistance Movements and Their Strategies
• Cultural Movements and Political Change
• Environmental Movements and Policy Impact
• Economic Crisis and Political Change
• International Influence on Political Change
• Indigenous Movements and Political Empowerment
• Women’s Movements and Gender-Driven Change
• Grassroots Movements and Local Governance
• The Impact of Global Events on Political Change
• Political Change and Human Rights
• Comparative Studies of Political Change

Political Communication

• Media Influence on Political Attitudes
• Political Advertising and Campaign Strategies
• Political Rhetoric and Persuasion Techniques
• Social Media and Political Discourse
• Political Debates and Public Perception
• Crisis Communication and Political Leadership
• Media Ownership and Political Influence
• Propaganda and Information Warfare
• Fact-Checking and Media Accountability
• News Framing and Agenda Setting
• Political Satire and Public Opinion
• Political Communication in Multicultural Societies
• Crisis Communication and Government Response
• Public Relations and Political Image Management
• Political Talk Shows and Public Engagement
• The Role of Polling in Political Communication
• Speechwriting and Political Oratory
• Media Literacy and Critical Thinking
• Political Communication Ethics and Responsibility
• Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Political Communication

Political Concepts

• Democracy: Theories and Applications
• Justice and Fairness in Political Systems
• Power and Authority in Governance
• Liberty and Individual Rights
• Equality: Political, Social, and Economic Dimensions
• Citizenship: Rights and Responsibilities
• Sovereignty and the State
• Representation and Political Legitimacy
• Political Obligation and Consent
• Rights vs. Welfare: A Philosophical Debate
• The Common Good in Political Philosophy
• Social Contract Theories and Political Order
• Freedom of Speech and Political Discourse
• Political Ideals and Utopian Visions
• The Ethics of Political Decision-Making
• Anarchy and Political Order
• Nationalism and Patriotism as Political Concepts
• Political Realism vs. Idealism
• Human Dignity and Political Values
• Multiculturalism and Cultural Diversity in Politics

Political Economy

• Economic Policies and Political Decision-Making
• The Impact of Global Trade Agreements on National Economies
• Income Inequality and Political Consequences
• Taxation Policies and Political Debates
• Political Influence on Central Banks
• Economic Growth vs. Environmental Sustainability
• Government Regulation of Financial Markets
• Economic Crises and Political Responses
• Populism and Economic Policies
• Economic Development and Political Stability
• Corruption and Economic Performance
• Political Economy of Resource-Rich Nations
• International Trade Wars and Political Tensions
• Fiscal Policies and Government Budgets
• Labor Market Policies and Political Alignment
• Economic Ideologies and Political Parties
• Globalization and Income Redistribution
• Economic Populism and Public Opinion
• Economic Forecasting and Political Decision-Making
• Comparative Studies of Political Economies

Political Parties

• Party Systems and Electoral Politics
• Party Platforms and Policy Agendas
• Coalition Politics and Party Alliances
• Third Parties and Their Influence
• Party Funding and Campaign Finance
• Political Party Polarization
• Party Identification and Voter Behavior
• Party Primaries and Candidate Selection
• Populist Parties and Their Impact
• Minor Parties and Representation
• Party Discipline and Legislative Behavior
• Party Systems in Non-Democratic States
• Party Leadership and Ideological Shifts
• Party Membership and Activism
• Youth Participation in Political Parties
• Party Conventions and Political Strategy
• Party Mergers and Dissolutions
• Ethnic and Religious Parties in Multi-Cultural Societies
• Popularity of Anti-Establishment Parties
• Comparative Studies of Political Party Systems

Political Psychology

• Political Attitudes and Ideological Beliefs
• Personality Traits and Political Preferences
• Political Socialization and Identity Formation
• Political Trust and Distrust
• Group Psychology and Political Behavior
• The Role of Emotions in Political Decision-Making
• Cognitive Biases and Political Judgment
• Political Persuasion and Communication
• Political Polarization and Social Identity
• Fear and Political Behavior
• Voter Apathy and Psychological Factors
• Motivated Reasoning in Politics
• Political Stereotypes and Prejudices
• Political Leadership and Charisma
• Political Participation and Civic Psychology
• Mass Movements and Crowd Psychology
• Political Stress and Mental Health
• The Psychology of Political Extremism
• Political Tolerance and Intolerance
• Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Political Psychology

Political Theory

• Theories of Justice and Equality
• Democratic Theory and Political Legitimacy
• Social Contract Theories in Political Philosophy
• The Ethics of Political Leadership
• Political Authority and Obedience
• Rights and Liberties in Political Theory
• Political Utopias and Ideal Societies
• Power and Its Distribution in Political Thought
• Political Liberalism vs. Communitarianism
• The Role of Consent in Governance
• Political Anarchism and Stateless Societies
• The Philosophy of Political Revolution
• Political Philosophy and Human Rights
• Theories of Political Representation
• Feminist Political Theory and Gender Equality
• Cosmopolitanism and Global Justice
• Political Conservatism and Traditionalism
• Postmodernism and Deconstruction in Political Theory
• Critical Theory and Social Change
• Comparative Political Theories

Politics and Society

• The Societal Impact of Welfare Policies
• Environmental Policies and Sustainable Societies
• Social Movements and Their Political Goals
• Education Policies and Social Equity
• Healthcare Policies and Public Health
• Criminal Justice Policies and Social Inequality
• Immigration Policies and Integration Challenges
• Social Media and Political Activism
• Identity Politics and Social Cohesion
• Economic Policies and Income Distribution
• Civil Society and Political Engagement
• Social Capital and Political Participation
• Family Policies and Social Values
• Multiculturalism and Cultural Diversity
• Social Inclusion and Exclusion in Politics
• Urbanization and Political Dynamics
• Social Stratification and Political Behavior
• Aging Populations and Policy Implications
• Social Norms and Political Change
• Cross-Cultural Studies of Politics and Society

Politics of Oppression

• Political Repression and Human Rights Violations
• The Role of Mass Media in Oppression
• Authoritarian Regimes and Dissent
• Gender-Based Oppression and Activism
• State Surveillance and Privacy Rights
• Indigenous Rights and Anti-Oppression Movements
• Political Exile and Dissident Communities
• Censorship and Freedom of Expression
• Political Violence and Resistance
• Ethnic Conflict and Oppressed Minorities
• The Psychology of Oppression and Compliance
• Political Persecution and International Responses
• Refugees and Asylum Politics
• Oppression in Cyber-Space
• Socioeconomic Oppression and Inequality
• Historical Perspectives on Political Oppression
• Anti-Oppression Legislation and Human Rights Advocacy
• Discrimination and the Law
• The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Oppression
• Comparative Studies of Oppressive Regimes

Public Administration

• Bureaucratic Accountability and Transparency
• Public Sector Reform and Modernization
• Administrative Ethics and Integrity
• Performance Measurement in Public Administration
• E-Government and Digital Transformation
• Public-Private Partnerships in Service Delivery
• Administrative Decision-Making and Policy Implementation
• Leadership and Change Management in the Public Sector
• Civil Service Systems and Human Resource Management
• Administrative Law and Legal Challenges
• Emergency Management and Crisis Response
• Local Government and Municipal Administration
• Public Budgeting and Financial Management
• Public Administration and Social Welfare Programs
• Environmental Administration and Sustainability
• Healthcare Administration and Policy
• Public Diplomacy and International Relations
• Administrative Responsiveness and Citizen Engagement
• Public Administration in Developing Nations
• Comparative Public Administration Studies

Public Policy

• Policy Analysis and Evaluation
• The Role of Think Tanks in Policy Formulation
• Policy Implementation Challenges and Solutions
• Policy Advocacy and Lobbying
• Healthcare Policy and Access to Medical Services
• Education Policy and Curriculum Development
• Social Welfare Policies and Poverty Alleviation
• Environmental Policy and Conservation Efforts
• Technology and Innovation Policy
• Immigration Policy and Border Control
• Security and Defense Policy
• Transportation and Infrastructure Policy
• Energy Policy and Sustainability
• Foreign Aid and Development Policies
• Taxation Policy and Revenue Generation
• Criminal Justice Policy and Sentencing Reform
• Trade Policy and Economic Growth
• Drug Policy and Harm Reduction Strategies
• Social and Cultural Policy Initiatives
• Comparative Policy Studies

Race/Ethnicity, and Politics

• Racial Discrimination and Political Activism
• Ethnic Conflict and Identity Politics
• Minority Rights and Representation
• Racial Profiling and Policing
• Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity
• Indigenous Rights and Autonomy Movements
• Racial and Ethnic Voting Patterns
• The Role of Race in Political Campaigns
• Immigration Policies and Racial Implications
• Intersectionality and Multiple Identities
• Ethnic Diversity and Social Cohesion
• Slavery, Colonialism, and Historical Injustices
• Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare
• Education and Racial Achievement Gaps
• Media Representation and Stereotyping
• Hate Crimes and Extremist Movements
• Reparations and Compensation for Historical Wrongs
• Cultural Appropriation and Identity Politics
• Multiculturalism and Integration Policies
• Comparative Studies of Race and Politics

Religion and Politics

• The Role of Religious Institutions in Politics
• Religious Freedom and Secularism
• Faith-Based Advocacy and Social Change
• Religion and International Relations
• Religious Extremism and Terrorism
• Religion and Gender Equality
• Religious Minorities and Discrimination
• Political Parties and Religious Affiliation
• Religion and Environmental Ethics
• Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding
• Religious Ethics and Public Policy
• Religion in Education and Curriculum Debates
• Charitable and Faith-Based Organizations
• Religious Symbols and Public Spaces
• Sacred Texts and Political Interpretations
• Pilgrimage and Political Pilgrimage
• Religion and Human Rights
• Religious Conversion and Apostasy
• Faith and Political Leadership
• Comparative Studies of Religion and Politics

Electoral Systems

• The Impact of Electoral Systems on Representation
• Proportional Representation vs. First-Past-the-Post
• Gerrymandering and Electoral Manipulation
• Electronic Voting and Election Security
• Ranked Choice Voting Systems
• Voter Turnout and Participation Rates
• Minority Representation in Electoral Systems
• Campaign Finance and Electoral Outcomes
• Voter Registration and Access to Voting
• Electoral Reforms and Political Parties
• Voting Behavior and Demographic Patterns
• Gender and Electoral Politics
• Electoral Systems in Post-Conflict Nations
• Hybrid Electoral Systems
• Electoral Justice and Redistricting
• Political Parties and Coalition Building
• Election Observation and International Standards
• Electoral Systems and Ethnic Conflict
• Voter Suppression and Disenfranchisement
• Electoral Systems in Non-Democratic Regimes

Rights and Freedoms

• Freedom of Speech and Censorship
• Civil Liberties in Times of Crisis
• Religious Freedom and Freedom of Worship
• LGBTQ+ Rights and Advocacy
• The Right to Protest and Assembly
• Racial Profiling and Discrimination
• Right to Bear Arms and Gun Control
• Refugee Rights and Asylum Seekers
• Indigenous Rights and Land Sovereignty
• Rights of the Accused and Due Process
• Access to Healthcare as a Human Right
• Education as a Fundamental Right
• Economic Rights and Income Inequality
• Children’s Rights and Child Protection
• Disability Rights and Accessibility
• Prisoner Rights and Criminal Justice Reform
• Freedom of the Press and Media Ethics
• Comparative Human Rights Frameworks

Science/Technology and Politics

• Cybersecurity and Election Interference
• Surveillance Technologies and Privacy
• Artificial Intelligence in Governance
• Internet Regulation and Net Neutrality
• Space Exploration and International Cooperation
• Ethical Implications of Biotechnology
• Climate Science and Environmental Policy
• Digital Diplomacy and International Relations
• Technology in Disaster Management
• Data Protection and Online Privacy
• Social Media and Political Influence
• Bioethics and Genetic Engineering
• Ethical Considerations in Artificial Intelligence
• Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation
• Ethical Dilemmas in Scientific Research
• Quantum Computing and National Security
• Robotics and the Future of Labor
• E-Government Initiatives and Digital Services
• Environmental Ethics and Sustainability
• Technology Transfer in Developing Nations

War and Peace

• Conflict Resolution and Diplomacy
• Peacebuilding and Post-Conflict Reconstruction
• Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Agreements
• Nuclear Deterrence and Arms Races
• Cyber Warfare and International Law
• Refugee Crises and Forced Displacement
• United Nations Peacekeeping Missions
• War Crimes and International Tribunals
• Security Alliances and Collective Defense
• Civil Wars and State Fragmentation
• Weapons of Mass Destruction and Global Security
• Peace Accords and Conflict Resolution
• Conflict Journalism and Media Coverage
• Civilian Protection and Human Rights in Conflict Zones
• The Ethics of Humanitarian Aid
• Regional Conflicts and Regional Organizations
• Conflict-Induced Migration and Refugee Policies
• The Role of Religion in Peace and Conflict

This comprehensive list merely scratches the surface of the intriguing topics available within the realm of political science. From the intricacies of constitutional law to the dynamics of Asian politics and the complexities of comparative analysis, the field of political science offers a rich tapestry of subjects for your research pursuits. We encourage you to explore these topics, refine your interests, and embark on an academic journey that not only expands your knowledge but also contributes to the broader discourse on politics and governance. As you navigate this list, remember that the key to a successful research paper is your passion for the subject matter. Choose a topic that resonates with you, and let your curiosity drive your exploration of political science research paper topics.

Browse More Political Science Topics:

• African Politics and Society
• American Politics and Society
• Asian Politics and Society
• Culture, Media, and Language
• European Politics and Society
• Federalism and Local Politics
• Institutions and Checks and Balances
• International Security and Arms Control
• Latin American Politics and Society

The Range of Political Science Research Paper Topics

Introduction

Political science, the systematic study of politics and government, provides valuable insights into the complex world of governance, policy-making, and international relations. For students of political science, selecting the right research paper topic can be the key to unlocking a deeper understanding of these intricate issues. This page serves as a comprehensive guide to the rich array of Political Science Research Paper Topics available, offering a detailed overview of the field and highlighting its significant contributions to society.

Exploring Political Science

Political science plays a pivotal role in deciphering the dynamics of the modern world. By analyzing the behavior of individuals, groups, and institutions in political settings, it seeks to unravel the complexities of governance and decision-making. This discipline’s significance extends far beyond the classroom, as it directly informs public policy, governance structures, and international relations.

The research conducted within political science serves as the foundation for crafting effective policies and addressing pressing global challenges. Governments and organizations worldwide rely on the expertise of political scientists to provide evidence-based recommendations and solutions. Whether it’s designing social welfare programs, analyzing international conflicts, or studying voter behavior, political science research is at the forefront of shaping the way societies function.

The Essence of Political Science

Political science is the intellectual foundation of modern political analysis and policy-making. It serves as a bridge between theory and practice, helping individuals understand not only the “what” but also the “why” and “how” of political phenomena. By examining political behavior, institutions, and ideologies, this field equips students with the tools to navigate the complexities of governance and to critically evaluate the policies that shape our lives.

One of the defining features of political science is its interdisciplinary nature. It draws from various disciplines, including history, economics, sociology, psychology, and philosophy, to offer a holistic understanding of political processes. For students passionate about examining the social and political forces that shape our world, political science is a vibrant and intellectually rewarding field of study.

The Relevance of Political Science Research

Political science research is not confined to academic ivory towers; it has a profound impact on society. The evidence-based insights generated by political scientists guide governments, inform public discourse, and influence policy decisions. Research on topics such as voting behavior helps in understanding democratic processes, while studies on international relations contribute to strategies for peacekeeping and diplomacy.

Political scientists also play a crucial role in examining and addressing contemporary global challenges. They explore topics such as climate change, migration, and human rights, offering valuable insights that can shape policies and international cooperation. The relevance of political science research extends to issues of governance, accountability, and the promotion of democratic values.

Range of Research Paper Topics

Within the vast realm of political science, there exists a diverse range of research paper topics that cater to different interests and perspectives. These topics encompass various subfields, each shedding light on distinct aspects of political behavior, institutions, and ideologies. Here, we delve into some of the intriguing areas that can serve as the foundation for your research endeavors:

Democracy and Democratization : The study of democratic systems and processes is a cornerstone of political science. Research in this area may explore topics such as the challenges of democratization in emerging nations, the role of media in shaping public opinion, or the impact of electoral systems on representation.

Political Corruption : Understanding and combating political corruption is critical for the integrity of governments worldwide. Research topics may range from analyzing corruption’s economic and social consequences to exploring strategies for prevention and enforcement.

Globalization and Politics : In an increasingly interconnected world, globalization profoundly influences political dynamics. Research in this area can examine issues like the impact of globalization on national sovereignty, the role of international organizations, or the ethics of global trade.

Political Ideologies : The realm of political ideologies delves into the philosophies and belief systems that underpin political movements and parties. Topics may include the examination of specific ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism, or socialism, and their historical evolution.

Science/Technology and Politics : The intersection of science, technology, and politics is a fertile ground for research. This area covers topics like the influence of digital platforms on political discourse, ethical considerations in artificial intelligence, and the role of technology in election campaigns.

War and Peace : The study of international conflict and peacekeeping efforts remains a central concern in political science. Research may focus on issues like the causes of armed conflicts, peace negotiation strategies, or the ethics of humanitarian interventions.

Religion and Politics : Religion’s impact on political behavior and policies is a subject of ongoing debate. Research in this area can explore the role of religious institutions in politics, the influence of faith on voting patterns, or interfaith relations in diverse societies.

Race/Ethnicity, and Politics : The intersection of race, ethnicity, and politics raises critical questions about representation and equality. Research topics may encompass racial disparities in political participation, the impact of identity politics, or the dynamics of minority-majority relations.

Public Policy and Administration : The field of public policy and administration involves the study of how policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. Topics may include healthcare policy, environmental regulations, or the role of bureaucracy in shaping public programs.

International Relations : International relations examine interactions between states and the complexities of the global order. Research topics may focus on diplomacy, international organizations, global conflicts, or the challenges of international cooperation.

Human Rights and Justice : The study of human rights and justice explores ethical dilemmas and legal frameworks. Research may encompass issues like refugee rights, humanitarian law, or the role of international courts in addressing human rights abuses.

Environmental Politics : In an era of environmental challenges, political science research on environmental politics is vital. Topics may cover climate change policy, sustainable development, or the politics of natural resource management.

Evaluating Political Science Research Topics

As students explore these diverse topics, it’s essential to consider various factors when choosing a research paper topic. Here are some key considerations:

• Personal Interest : Select a topic that genuinely interests you. Your passion for the subject matter will fuel your research efforts and maintain your motivation throughout the project.
• Relevance : Consider the relevance of your chosen topic to current political debates, policies, or global issues. Research that addresses pressing concerns often has a more significant impact.
• Feasibility : Assess the availability of data, research materials, and access to experts or primary sources. Ensure that your chosen topic is researchable within your constraints.
• Originality : While it’s not necessary to reinvent the wheel, aim to contribute something new or offer a fresh perspective on existing debates or issues.
• Scope : Define the scope of your research clearly. Determine whether your topic is too broad or too narrow and adjust it accordingly.
• Methodology : Think about the research methods you’ll use. Will you conduct surveys, interviews, content analysis, or use historical data? Ensure that your chosen methods align with your topic.
• Ethical Considerations : Be mindful of ethical considerations, especially when dealing with sensitive topics or human subjects. Ensure that your research adheres to ethical standards.

Political science, as a multifaceted discipline, holds immense relevance in today’s world. Its research not only informs governance and policy-making but also empowers individuals to engage critically with the complex political issues of our time. The spectrum of Political Science Research Paper Topics is vast, reflecting the diversity of political phenomena and ideas.

As students embark on their research journeys in political science, they have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to our understanding of governance, society, and international relations. By choosing topics that resonate with their interests and align with the pressing issues of the day, students can truly make a difference in the field of political science.

In closing, we encourage students to explore the wealth of Political Science Research Paper Topics, delve deep into their chosen areas of study, and harness the power of knowledge to effect positive change in the political landscape.

Choosing Political Science Research Paper Topics

Selecting the right research topic is a crucial step in the journey of academic inquiry. It sets the tone for your entire research paper, influencing its direction, depth, and impact. When it comes to political science research paper topics, the stakes are high, as the field encompasses a wide range of subjects that can shape our understanding of governance, policy-making, and international relations. In this section, we’ll explore ten valuable tips to help you choose political science research paper topics that align with your interests, resonate with current debates, and provide ample research opportunities.

10 Tips for Choosing Political Science Research Paper Topics:

• Follow Your Passion : Begin your quest for the right research topic by considering your interests. Passion for a subject often fuels motivation and ensures your engagement throughout the research process. Whether it’s human rights, international diplomacy, or environmental policy, choose a topic that genuinely excites you.
• Stay Informed : Keep abreast of current political events, debates, and emerging issues. Reading newspapers, academic journals, and reputable websites can help you identify contemporary topics that are both relevant and research-worthy. Being informed about current affairs is essential for crafting timely and impactful research.
• Explore Gaps in Existing Literature : Conduct a thorough literature review to identify gaps or areas where further research is needed. This not only helps you understand the existing discourse but also provides insights into unexplored avenues for your research. Building on or critiquing existing research can contribute significantly to the field.
• Consider Policy Relevance : Think about the practical relevance of your chosen topic. How does it connect to real-world policy challenges? Research that addresses pressing policy issues tends to have a more substantial impact and can attract the attention of policymakers and practitioners.
• Delve into Comparative Studies : Comparative politics offers a wealth of research opportunities by allowing you to examine political systems, policies, or issues across different countries or regions. Comparative studies can yield valuable insights into the impact of context and culture on political outcomes.
• Narrow or Broaden Your Focus : Be mindful of the scope of your research topic. Some topics may be too broad to cover comprehensively in a single paper, while others may be too narrow, limiting available research material. Strike a balance by defining your research question or problem statement clearly.
• Consult Your Professors and Peers : Don’t hesitate to seek guidance from your professors or peers. They can offer valuable insights, suggest relevant literature, and help you refine your research question. Collaboration and mentorship can significantly enhance your research experience.
• Evaluate Feasibility : Assess the feasibility of your chosen topic. Consider the availability of data, research materials, and access to experts or primary sources. Ensure that your research is doable within your constraints, including time and resources.
• Embrace Interdisciplinary Perspectives : Political science often intersects with other disciplines, such as sociology, economics, or environmental science. Explore interdisciplinary angles to enrich your research. Collaborating with experts from related fields can lead to innovative insights.
• Ethical Considerations : When selecting a research topic, be mindful of ethical considerations, especially if your research involves human subjects or sensitive issues. Ensure that your research adheres to ethical standards and obtains the necessary approvals.

Choosing the right political science research paper topic is a dynamic process that requires reflection, exploration, and critical thinking. By following these ten tips, you can navigate the landscape of political science topics with confidence. Remember that your research topic is not set in stone; it can evolve as you delve deeper into your studies and gain new insights.

As you embark on your research journey, keep in mind that the topics you choose have the potential to contribute to our understanding of the political world, inform policy decisions, and shape the future of governance. Embrace the opportunity to explore, question, and discover, for it is through research that we illuminate the path to progress in the field of political science.

Choose your topics wisely, engage in meaningful inquiry, and let your passion for political science drive your pursuit of knowledge.

How to Write a Political Science Research Paper

Writing a research paper in political science is a distinctive journey that allows you to explore complex issues, develop critical thinking skills, and contribute to the body of knowledge in the field. Effective research paper writing is not only about conveying your ideas clearly but also about constructing a compelling argument supported by rigorous evidence. In this section, we’ll delve into ten valuable tips that will help you craft high-quality political science research papers, enabling you to communicate your findings effectively and make a meaningful impact.

10 Tips for Writing Political Science Research Papers:

• Thoroughly Understand the Assignment : Before you start writing, carefully read and understand your assignment guidelines. Clarify any doubts with your professor, ensuring you have a clear grasp of the expectations regarding format, length, and content.
• Choose a Strong Thesis Statement : Your thesis statement is the heart of your research paper. It should be clear, concise, and arguable. Ensure that it presents a central argument or question that your paper will address.
• Conduct In-Depth Research : A robust research paper relies on well-sourced evidence. Explore academic journals, books, reputable websites, and primary sources related to your topic. Take detailed notes and keep track of your sources for accurate citations.
• Structure Your Paper Effectively : Organize your paper logically, with a coherent introduction, body, and conclusion. Each section should flow smoothly, building upon the previous one. Use headings and subheadings to guide your reader.
• Craft a Captivating Introduction : Your introduction should grab the reader’s attention and provide context for your research. It should introduce your thesis statement and outline the main points you will address.
• Develop a Compelling Argument : Present a clear and well-reasoned argument throughout your paper. Each paragraph should support your thesis statement, with evidence and analysis that reinforces your position.
• Cite Your Sources Properly : Accurate citations are crucial in political science research papers. Follow the citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) specified in your assignment guidelines. Pay careful attention to in-text citations and the bibliography.
• Edit and Proofread Diligently : Writing is rewriting. After completing your initial draft, take the time to revise and edit your paper. Check for clarity, coherence, grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Consider seeking feedback from peers or professors.
• Stay Objective and Avoid Bias : Political science research requires objectivity. Avoid personal bias and ensure that your analysis is based on evidence and sound reasoning. Acknowledge counterarguments and address them respectfully.
• Craft a Strong Conclusion : Summarize your main points and restate your thesis in the conclusion. Discuss the implications of your research and suggest areas for future study. Leave your reader with a lasting impression.

Writing a political science research paper is not just an academic exercise; it’s an opportunity to engage with critical issues, contribute to knowledge, and develop essential skills. By applying these ten tips, you can navigate the complexities of research paper writing with confidence.

As you embark on your journey to craft high-quality papers, remember that effective communication is the key to making a meaningful impact in the realm of political science. Your research has the potential to shape discussions, influence policies, and contribute to our collective understanding of the political world.

Embrace the writing process, celebrate your achievements, and view each paper as a stepping stone in your academic and intellectual growth. Whether you’re exploring global diplomacy, dissecting political ideologies, or analyzing policy decisions, your research papers can be a force for positive change in the world of politics.

As you tackle the challenges and opportunities of political science research, remember that the knowledge you gain and the skills you develop are valuable assets that will serve you well in your academic and professional journey. Write with passion, rigor, and integrity, and let your research papers be a testament to your commitment to advancing the field of political science.

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Research Topics & Ideas: Politics

100+ Politics-Related Research Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation or thesis. If you’ve landed on this post, chances are you’re looking for a politics-related research topic , but aren’t sure where to start. Here, we’ll explore a variety of politically-related research ideas across a range of disciplines, including political theory and philosophy, comparative politics, international relations, public administration and policy.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas. This is the starting point, but to develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. Also, be sure to sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic from scratch.

Overview: Politics-Related Topics

• Political theory and philosophy
• Comparative politics
• International relations
• Public administration
• Public policy
• Examples of politics-related dissertations

Topics & Ideas: Political Theory

• An analysis of the impact of feminism on political theory and the concept of citizenship in Saudi Arabia in the context of Vision 2030
• A comparative study of the political philosophies of Marxism and liberalism and their influence on modern politics
• An examination of how the Covid-19 pandemic affected the relationship between individual freedom and collective responsibility in political philosophy
• A study of the impact of race and ethnicity on French political philosophy and the concept of justice
• An exploration of the role of religion in political theory and its impact on secular democracy in the Middle East
• A Review of Social contract theory, comparative analysis of the political philosophies of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau
• A study of the concept of the common good in political philosophy and its relevance to the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe
• An examination of the relationship between political power and the rule of law in developing African countries
• A study of the impact of postmodernism on political theory and the concept of truth, a case study of the US
• An exploration of the role of virtue in political philosophy and its impact on the assessment of moral character in political leaders

Topics & Ideas: Comparative Politics

• A comparative study of different models of federalism and their impact on democratic governance: A case Study of South American federalist states
• The impact of ethnic and religious diversity on political stability and democracy in developing countries, a review of literature from Africa
• An analysis of the role of civil society in promoting democratic change in autocratic regimes: A case study in Sweden
• A comparative examination of the impact of globalization on political institutions and processes in South America and Africa.
• A study of the factors that contribute to successful democratization in authoritarian regimes, a review of the role of Elite-driven democratization
• A comparison of the political and economic systems of China and India and their impact on social development
• The impact of corruption on political institutions and democracy in South East Asia, a critical review
• A comparative examination of the impact of majoritarian representation (winner-take-all) vs proportional representation on political representation and governance
• An exploration of Multi-party systems in democratic countries and their impact on minority representation and policy-making.
• A study of the factors that contribute to successful decentralization and regional autonomy, a case study of Spain

Topics & Ideas: International Relations

• A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of diplomacy and military force in resolving international conflicts in Central Africa.
• The impact of globalization on the sovereignty of nation-states and the changing nature of international politics, a review of the role of Multinational Corporations
• An examination of the role of international aid organizations in promoting peace, security, and development in the Middle East.
• A study of the impact of economic interdependence on the likelihood of conflict in international relations: A critical review of weaponized interdependence
• A comparative analysis of the foreign policies of the EU and the US and their impact on international stability in Africa
• An exploration of the relationship between international human rights and national sovereignty during the Covid 19 pandemic
• A study of the role of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO)s in international politics and their impact on state behaviour
• A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of international regimes in addressing global challenges such as climate change, arms control, and terrorism in Brazil
• An examination of the impact of the rise of BRICS on the international system and global governance
• A study of the role of ideology in shaping the foreign policies of states and the dynamics of international relations in the US

Tops & Ideas: Public Administration

• An analysis of the impact of digital technology on public administration and the delivery of public services in Estonia
• A review of models of public-private partnerships and their impact on the delivery of public services in Ghana
• An examination of the role of civil society organizations in monitoring and accountability of public administration in Papua New Guinea
• A study of the impact of environmentalism as a political ideology on public administration and policy implementation in Germany
• An exploration of the relationship between public administration and citizen engagement in the policy-making process, an exploration of gender identity concerns in schools
• A comparative analysis of the efficiency and effectiveness of public administration, decentralisation and pay and employment reform in developing countries
• A study of the role of collaborative leadership in public administration and its impact on organizational performance
• A systematic review of the challenges and opportunities related to diversity and inclusion in police services
• A study of the impact of corrupt public administration on economic development and regional growth in Eastern Europe
• An exploration of the relationship between public administration and civil rights and liberties, including issues related to privacy and surveillance, a case study in South Korea

Topics & Ideas: Public Policy

• An analysis of the impacts of public policy on income inequality and poverty reduction in South Sudan
• A comparative study of the effectiveness of legal and regulatory, economic and financial, and social and cultural instruments for addressing climate change in South Korea
• An examination of the role of interest groups in shaping public policy and the policy-making process regarding land-use claims
• A study of the impact of globalization on the development of public policies and programs for mitigating climate change in Singapore
• An exploration of the relationship between public policy and social justice in tertiary education in the UAE
• A comparative analysis of the impact of health policies for the management of diabetes on access to healthcare and health outcomes in developing countries
• Exploring the role of evidence-based policymaking in the design and implementation of public policies for the management of invasive invertebrates in Australia
• An examination of the challenges and opportunities of implementing educational dietary public policies in developing multicultural countries
• A study of the impact of public policies on urbanization and urban development in rural Indonesia
• An exploration of the role of media and public opinion in shaping public policy and the policy-making process in the transport industry of Malaysia

Examples: Politics Dissertations & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a politics-related research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various politics-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• We, the Righteous Few: Immoral Actions of Fellow Partisans are Judged as Less Possible (Varnam, 2020)
• Civilizing the State: Civil Society and the Politics of Primary Public Health Care Provision in Urban Brazil (Gibson, 2012)
• Political regimes and minority language policies: evidence from Taiwan and southeast Asia (Wu, 2021)
• The Feminist Third Wave: Social Reproduction, Feminism as Class Struggle, and Contemporary Women’s Movements (Angulo, 2019)
• The Politics of Immigration under Authoritarianism (Joo, 2019)
• The politics of digital platforms: Sour Dictionary, activist subjectivities, and contemporary cultures of resistance (Okten, 2019)
• Vote choice and support for diverse candidates on the Boston City Council At-Large (Dolcimascolo, 2022)
• The city agenda: local governance and national influence in the policy agenda, 1900-2020 (Shannon, 2022)
• Turf wars: who supported measures to criminalize homelessness in Austin, Texas? (Bompiedi, 2021)
• Do BITs Cause Opposition Between Investor Rights and Environmental Protection? (Xiong, 2022)
• Revealed corruption and electoral accountability in Brazil: How politicians anticipate voting behavior (Diaz, 2021)
• Intersectional Solidarity: The Political Consequences of a Consciousness of Race, Gender and Sexuality (Crowder, 2020)
• The Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Coalitional Representation of Latinxs in the U.S. House of Representatives (Munoz, 2019)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. In other words, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

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If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your dissertation or research project, check out our Topic Kickstarter service below.

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Education and Political Participation

Research output : Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Whether education affects political participation is a long-standing and central question in political philosophy and political science. In this review, we provide an overview of the three main theoretical models that explain different causal pathways. We then synthesize the surge in research using causal inference strategies and show that this literature has generated mixed results about the causal impact of education, even when using similar methods and data. These findings do not provide clear support for any of the three theories. Our next section covers research on civic education and political participation. The quantity of civic education matters little for political participation, but how civic education is taught does matter. Namely, strategies falling under the rubric of active learning show promise. These strategies seem especially effective for historically marginalized students. Our final section calls for more research on how civic education is taught.

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

• Sociology and Political Science
• active learning
• civic education
• political participation

Access to Document

• 10.1146/annurev-polisci-051120-014235

Other files and links

• Link to publication in Scopus
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• political participation Social Sciences 100%
• education Social Sciences 30%
• political philosophy Social Sciences 19%
• political science Social Sciences 15%
• literature Social Sciences 6%
• learning Social Sciences 5%
• student Social Sciences 4%

T1 - Education and Political Participation

AU - Willeck, Claire

AU - Mendelberg, Tali

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Annual Reviews Inc.. All rights reserved.

PY - 2022/2/1

Y1 - 2022/2/1

N2 - Whether education affects political participation is a long-standing and central question in political philosophy and political science. In this review, we provide an overview of the three main theoretical models that explain different causal pathways. We then synthesize the surge in research using causal inference strategies and show that this literature has generated mixed results about the causal impact of education, even when using similar methods and data. These findings do not provide clear support for any of the three theories. Our next section covers research on civic education and political participation. The quantity of civic education matters little for political participation, but how civic education is taught does matter. Namely, strategies falling under the rubric of active learning show promise. These strategies seem especially effective for historically marginalized students. Our final section calls for more research on how civic education is taught.

AB - Whether education affects political participation is a long-standing and central question in political philosophy and political science. In this review, we provide an overview of the three main theoretical models that explain different causal pathways. We then synthesize the surge in research using causal inference strategies and show that this literature has generated mixed results about the causal impact of education, even when using similar methods and data. These findings do not provide clear support for any of the three theories. Our next section covers research on civic education and political participation. The quantity of civic education matters little for political participation, but how civic education is taught does matter. Namely, strategies falling under the rubric of active learning show promise. These strategies seem especially effective for historically marginalized students. Our final section calls for more research on how civic education is taught.

KW - active learning

KW - civic education

KW - education

KW - political participation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130902847&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85130902847&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1146/annurev-polisci-051120-014235

DO - 10.1146/annurev-polisci-051120-014235

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85130902847

SN - 1094-2939

JO - Annual Review of Political Science

JF - Annual Review of Political Science

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Educational Policy Research Resources

Below are links to databases and electronic resources that support the study of education policy and related areas of research. For additional resources, GO HERE .

MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Databases that offer multidisciplinary coverage of education policy literature from scholarly and non-scholarly sources.

• CQ Researcher --   in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. Reports are published weekly 44 times a year.
• Google Scholar -- the scholarly part of the Google empire. To set up Google Scholar with access to full-text journals and databases, go here .
• JSTOR -- a multidisciplinary archive of scholarly journal articles covering most major disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. Useful for identifying historical research on a topic.
• Policy Commons -- platform for objective, fact-based research from the world’s leading policy experts, nonpartisan think tanks, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. The database provides advanced searching across millions of pages of books, articles, working papers, reports, policy briefs, data sets, tables, charts, media, case studies, and statistical publications, including archived reports from more than 200 defunct think tanks.
• ProQuest -- comprehensive, multidisciplinary database of newspaper, magazine, and scholarly journal articles updated daily. Content is more focused and manageable than Google Scholar.

SPECIALIZED RESEARCH RESOURCES

Key Databases

• E RIC -- database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education to provide extensive access to educational research literature. Coverage of journal articles, conferences, meetings, government documents, theses, dissertations, reports, audiovisual media, bibliographies, directories, books and monographs Coverage is from 1966 to the present.
• Educational Administration Abstracts -- provides indexing and abstracting for articles in more than 100 journals related to the administration of primary, secondary and post-secondary educational facilities and programs. Subjects covered include personnel, curriculum, school-community relations, supervision, minority group relations, and professional education. Coverage is from 2003 to the present.
• Education Index Retrospective -- indexes more than 800 periodicals and yearbooks, and cites approximately 850,000 articles, including book reviews from 1929-1983. Subject coverage includes, for example, adult education, continuing education, literacy standards, multicultural/ethnic education, teaching methods. Access to the database is limited to three simultaneous users.

Related Research Resources

• Child Development and Adolescent Studies  -- provides citations to current and historical social and behavioral sciences literature related to growth and development of children through the age of 21, including book reviews, abstracts from hundreds of journals, technical reports, books, book chapters, and theses and dissertations.
• Family Studies Abstracts -- this database includes bibliographic records covering essential areas related to family studies, including marriage, divorce, family therapy, and other areas of key relevance to the discipline. May be useful in identifying research on the relationships between education and family dynamics.
• PsycINFO -- database with more than three million records devoted to peer-reviewed literature of journal articles, chapters, books, dissertations and reports in psychology, the behavioral sciences, and mental health.

Sociological Abstracts -- primary resource for accessing the latest research in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. The database draws information from an international selection of over 2,600 journals and other serials publications, plus conference papers, books, and doctoral dissertations.

ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

Databases that offer the opportunity to understand and contemplate the implications of policy decisions through the eyes of those who may be most impacted by those decisions.

• Chicano Database -- bibliographic index focuses on the Mexican-American and Chicano experience, and the broader Latino experience of Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans and Central American immigrants since 1992. Covers Chicano/a art, education, folklore, health. history, labor, language and literature, music, politics, public policy, religion, sociology, and women's studies.
• Ethnic NewsWatch -- includes current and archival coverage of newspapers, magazines and journals from ethnic and minority presses. Very important database for gaining a perspective and an understanding of civic engagement from underrepresented groups and minorities.
• GenderWatch -- a full-text database that focus on the impact of gender across a broad spectrum of subject areas. Publications include academic and scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books, booklets and pamphlets, conference proceedings, and government, NGO and special reports.
• LGBT Life -- the premier resource to the world\'s literature regarding Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Transsexual issues with coverage that includes traditional academic, lifestyle, and regional publications, as well as non-periodical content such as non-fiction books, bibliographies and dissertations.

DATA AND STATISTICS

• College Scorecard -- highlights key indicators about the cost and value of higher education institutions across the country. Key indicators include: academic programs, SAT/ACT scores, costs, financial aid & debt (including cohort default rates), graduation and retention rates, student body statistics, earnings after school.
• Condition of Education -- provides key indicators of the condition of education in the United States. These indicators summarize important developments and trends using the latest statistics and are updated as data become available. A Congressionally mandated annual report is provided to the White House and Congress each year.
• ED Data Inventory -- describes all data, including links to NCES data, reported to the U.S. Department of Education, with the exception of personnel and administrative data. It includes data collected as part of grant activities, along with statistical data collected to allow publication of valuable statistics about the state of education in this country. The ED Data Inventory includes descriptive information about each data collection, along with information on the specific data elements in individual collections.
• Federal Student Aid Data Center -- produced by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid, the site includes links to student aid data and school data pertaining to Title IV programs.
• IPEDS -- this is the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, a system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department’s National Center for Education Statistics. IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in the federal student financial aid programs.
• National Assessment of Educational Progress -- a congressionally mandated project since 1969, the agency provides common measures what U.S. students know and can do in mathematics, reading, science, and many other subjects across the nation, states, and in some urban districts.
• National Center for Education Statistics -- the most comprehensive educational data resource in the United States, NCES is the statistical data arm of the U.S. Department of Education, and the central clearinghouse for statistical information about education of all types.

Descriptions of resources are adapted or quoted from vendor websites.

Government Agencies

• Institute of Education Sciences
• National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance
• What Works Clearinghouse

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

• Department of Education
• Educational Facilities Authority
• State Board of Education

LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND CITY

• Los Angeles Unified School District
• Office of Education

Organizations

Below is a select list of national education advocacy organizations. To locate descriptions of additional organizations, special interest groups, and research centers, search the Gale Directory Library database.

NATIONAL ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS

• American Association of University Professors -- devoted to advancing academic freedom and shared governance; to defining professional values and standards for higher education; promoting the economic security of all those engaged in teaching and research in higher education; and ensuring higher education's contribution to the common good.
• American Council on Education -- consisting of more than 1700 institutional members from colleges and universities of all types, ACE is the major representative of higher education to members of Congress and is especially involved in making its voice heard in Federal policy debates on education.
• Association for Institutional Research -- a global association that empowers higher education professionals at all levels to utilize data, analytics, information, and evidence to make decisions and take actions that benefit students and institutions and improve higher education.
• Center on Reinventing Public Education -- a nonpartisan research center that offers evidence-based ideas to improve education by ensuring all students are prepared for a rapidly changing future. The center conducts research and policy analysis to help educators, policymakers, civic and community leaders, parents, and students themselves re-imagine education systems and structures.
• College Board -- membership association made up of over 6,000 of the world’s leading educational institutions and dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators, and schools.
• EdBuild -- works directly with stakeholders in states across the country to modernize school funding systems through the application of data and policy analysis, creating interactive modeling tools, and making recommendations related to implementation.
• EdSource -- aims to engage Californians on key education challenges with the goal of enhancing learning success. It does so by providing timely, useful and accurate information to key education stakeholders and the larger public;  advancing awareness of major education initiatives being implemented in California and nationally; and, highlighting effective models and strategies intended to improve student outcomes, as well as identifying areas that are in need of repair or reform.
• Education Redesign Lab -- advances a vision for public education that addresses the failure to break the correlation between socio-economic status and education outcomes. The group advocates for a comprehensive system of supports and opportunities that begin at early childhood and continue through to higher education and/or career training, focusing on research, field work, and coalition building and policy change.
• Education Trust -- a national nonprofit that works to close opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and students from low-income families. Through research and advocacy, the organization supports efforts to expand excellence and equity in education from preschool through college, increase college access and completion particularly for historically underserved students, engage diverse communities dedicated to education equity, and increase political and public will to act on equity issues.
• Educational Testing Service -- conducts assessment and policy research and develops assessments and related services to advance quality and equity in learning worldwide related to five broad areas of expertise: research, assessment development, test administration, test scoring, and instructional products and services.
• Institute for Higher Education Policy -- a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to promoting access to and success in higher education for all students. IHEP develops innovative policy- and practice-oriented research to guide policymakers and education leaders who develop high-impact policies that will address our nation’s most pressing education challenges.
• Learning Policy Institute -- a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization that conducts and communicates research to improve education policy and practice. The Institute connects policymakers and stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels with the evidence, ideas, and actions needed to strengthen the education system from preschool through college and career readiness.
• National Center for Learning Disabilities -- the mission of NCLD is to improve the lives of children and adults nationwide with learning and attention issues by empowering parents and young adults, transforming schools, and advocating for equal rights and opportunities.
• National Center on Education and the Economy -- benchmarks the world’s top-performing education systems to understand how they reach higher levels of student achievement with much greater equity than schools in the U.S. These insights serve as the foundation of NCEE’s work with state and district leaders to build tailored strategies that are informed by and adapted to their unique contexts.
• National Education Association -- an organization of public school administrators in rural and small-town America started to represent public school teachers The NEA is incorporated as a labor union in many states and as a professional organization in a few others.
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Table of contents

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Political science plays an important role in how we shape the world around us. It offers insight into governments, political systems, public policies, international relations, and more. This makes it a broad subject to explore. But it can also be challenging to find a captivating political science research topic. 

To make things easier, we’ve collected multiple political science research paper topics that suit any taste and need. We made a step further and divided these ideas into accessible categories. Choose the area you are most interested in and get ready to find a bunch of political science research topics in your domain.

But first things first, let’s figure out what politics is all about.

What Are Political Science Research Topics?

Politics is the study of governments, public policies, and political processes. It investigates how societies make decisions. Political science also examines how decisions affect people, both on a small scale, like a neighborhood, and on a global scale, like international relations.

Political science research paper topics can range widely within this discipline. Depending on your interests and goals, you could explore anything from voting behavior to gender equality in politics. You can also study global diplomatic relations, electoral systems, or the influence of media on political outcomes.

Characteristics of Good Political Science Research Paper Topics

Politics shapes our world in myriad ways. Every aspect of it bears relevance and offers a platform for thoughtful discourse, making it a fertile field for academic exploration.

However, good political science topics aren’t just about selecting a subject itself. Great ideas require elements of intrigue, relevance, and potential for in-depth examination, all while showcasing your input. So, what should you consider while choosing between different political research topics? Well, your passion and expertise are pivotal. Your topic should resonate with your interests and align with your academic focus.

Here's a brief overview of characteristics that make up engaging political science research topics:

• Relevant and contemporary
• Balanced in its scope
• Well-documented and containing enough material
• Interesting to you as well as your readers
• Suitable for follow-up studies and/or additional research.

How to Choose a Political Science Research Topic?

Stumped about which political science topic to choose for your research paper? It's a common dilemma for many students. You shouldn’t just pick a theme. You must ensure that your topic sustains your interest, meets academic requirements, and resonates with your audience.

No need to stress, though! This blog is here to help you navigate these tricky waters. Our online essay writer team has shared these step-by-step guidelines to help you choose a successful topic for your political science paper:

• Start with something you’re passionate about. Your enthusiasm and interest will animate the project and guide you to success.
• Come up with an original idea that hasn’t been explored in depth before or is still relevant today.
• Find something that’s timely and engaging to a wider audience. This should be something that people care about and are actively discussing.
• Look for hidden connections, patterns, and solutions. Make sure your political science research topic is complex enough to ensure in-depth research.
• Gather the necessary materials beforehand. Ensure availability of information before you begin analyzing your theme.

List of Political Science Research Topics

Before you plunge into our expertly compiled list, remember to double-check your instructor's guidelines. Aligning your choice with your course requirements is vital. Now, prepare to browse through the most captivating politics research topics that could be the launchpad for your future paper.

• Understanding democracy: An evolving concept.
• Rise of populism in 21st-century politics.
• Climate change and global governance.
• Role of United Nations: Effectiveness and criticisms.
• Politics behind nuclear disarmament.
• Influence of social media on political campaigns.
• Immigration policies: A comparative study.
• Human rights and foreign policy.
• Impact of political instability on economic growth.
• Cybersecurity in international relations.
• Decoding political symbolism in public spaces.
• Feminism and its political impact.
• Role of youth in politics.
• Is healthcare a political issue?
• Examining political bias in media.

Easy Political Science Research Topics

While the field of political science can seem intricate, there are areas within it that are more accessible, yet equally intriguing. If you're new to the discipline or prefer less complex issues, this list of simple political science paper topics could be your go-to. Each topic is designed to offer an easy entry point into political science, but still, provide room for critical analysis .

• Defining basic political ideologies: Liberalism, Conservatism, and Socialism.
• How does voting work? An overview.
• Impact of political cartoons on public opinion.
• Presidential vs. parliamentary systems.
• Role of lobby groups in shaping policy.
• Political satire and its influence.
• Environmental policy: Understanding basics.
• What role does local government play?
• Does every vote count in elections?
• How accurate are public opinion polls?
• Politics in sports.
• Privacy rights in a digital era.
• Gender representation in politics.
• Patriotism vs. nationalism: Understanding the difference.
• Role of celebrities in political campaigns.

Interesting Political Science Research Topics

Political science never falls short of captivating topics. With its dynamic nature and its intricate connection to real-world issues, there's always something noteworthy to explore. We've done our utmost to curate a list of topics in political science that will pique anyone’s curiosity:

• Lessons from literature on dystopian governance.
• The war on drugs policy.
• What influence does propaganda have on contemporary governance?
• How governing ideologies influence art.
• Balancing national security with personal freedoms.
• Importance of whistleblowers in democratic societies.
• Rhetoric and reality behind political speeches.
• Implications of artificial intelligence on governance.
• Attainability of world peace: A critical perspective.
• Dynamics of power in non-democratic systems.
• Global pandemics and their effects on governance.
• Competing for Mars: A new space race.
• Impact of religion on governance.
• Perspective on animal rights from a political viewpoint.
• Food accessibility: Who decides who gets to eat what?

Good Topics for a Political Science Research Paper

Scoring points with your professor often comes down to choosing compelling and thought-provoking research paper ideas . The following list includes good political science research questions that are in tune with contemporary discourse. Each topic offers plenty of room to showcase your analytical skills and knowledge.

• Evaluating e-democracy: Benefits and drawbacks.
• How migration policies shape nations.
• Media as a tool for political persuasion.
• Political philosophy in science fiction literature.
• Trade wars and global relations.
• Is there a global shift towards autocracy?
• Understanding diplomatic immunity: Rights and abuses.
• Role of non-state actors in shaping international policy.
• Rise of nationalism in globalized societies.
• Impact of climate change on national security.
• Examination of censorship laws across nations.
• Can blockchain technology revolutionize voting systems?
• Decoding political rhetoric in campaign promises.
• Gender pay gap: A policy analysis.
• Influence of economic inequality on social unrest.

Best Political Science Research Topics

We have curated an irresistible list of political science topics for a research paper. These ideas range from pressing international issues to more granular policy questions, all guaranteed to challenge your analytical skills.

• Exploring causes and effects of global populism.
• Transparency as a key to ethical political leadership.
• Evaluating the role of social media censorship in political landscapes.
• Influence of multiculturalism on policy development.
• Unpacking the outcomes and justifications of military interventions.
• Corruption's destructive role in democratic systems.
• Merits and pitfalls of technocracy.
• Interplay of bureaucracy and governance.
• Pathways to address political polarization.
• Effects of historical colonization on current government structures.
• Role of extremism in shaping international relations.
• How global climate commitments affect nations.
• Using sanctions as a diplomatic tool.
• Conflict resolution through international law.
• Geopolitics in outer space exploration.

Current Research Topics in Political Science

Political science is a progressing field, so the problems you research will always be relevant. Our list of up-to-date topics of political science will help you make sure your paper is on point.

• Artificial intelligence in global governance.
• Global health governance in pandemics.
• Impact of digital currencies on economies.
• Changes in contemporary immigration attitudes.
• Climate crisis' role in diplomatic dialogues.
• Social movements and societal change.
• Tech giants and information control.
• Civil liberties in pandemic responses.
• Gender disparities in political representation.
• Decolonization trends in the 21st century.
• Cyber warfare and national security.
• Ethics of drone warfare.
• Crypto-anarchy and state sovereignty.
• Right-wing extremism in the digital age.
• Power dynamics in international space law.

Political Science Research Topic Ideas for Students

Navigating politics can be overwhelming for students, given its broad nature and intersecting disciplines. With the right research topics for political science, however, this complexity transforms into an opportunity for a decent study. Our list of political science research topics ideas is designed with students in mind, focusing on engaging, relevant, and manageable themes.

Political Science Research Paper Topics for College Students

For college students, political science topics for research papers should strike a balance between complexity and approachability. With that in mind, here's a collection of college-level political topics to write about.

• Leadership styles across governments.
• Impact of gender roles in election campaigns.
• Role of think tanks in shaping public opinion.
• Studying historical revolutions and their aftermath.
• Influence of socio-economic status on voting behavior.
• Exploring ethical dilemmas in international relations.
• Cultural diplomacy and its effectiveness.
• Sovereignty disputes and their resolution.
• Rise and implications of digital citizenship.
• Evaluating meritocracy as a system of governance.
• Role of peacekeeping operations in conflict resolution.
• Comparing capitalist and socialist economies.
• Decoding cyber diplomacy in the digital age.
• Relationship between economic crises and political changes.
• Minority rights in democratic societies.

Political Science Research Topics for University

When it comes to political topics to talk about in university, politics offers a variety of interesting options. Here's a list of captivating research ideas that are sure to get you top grades:

• Political revolutions in the digital age.
• Comparative study of political systems.
• Effectiveness of international climate agreements.
• Unraveling political consequences of economic sanctions.
• Studying neocolonialism in modern economies.
• Impact of income inequality on social stability.
• Debating political implications of universal basic income.
• Role of international courts in global governance.
• Influence of cultural diversity on national policies.
• Dissecting geopolitics in Arctic resource exploitation.
• Understanding post-conflict reconciliation processes.
• Evaluating state responses to refugee crises.
• Study of civil disobedience in democratic societies.
• Role of soft power in international relations.
• Disentangling politics of global water disputes.

Political Science Research Topics by Subjects

Political science is a diverse field, consisting of multiple subdomains. To help you spot a fitting theme, we've organized research paper topics for political science according to these subjects. From international relations to public policy, this assortment promises a treasure trove of research opportunities just waiting to be explored.

Philosophy Political Science Research Topics

Philosophy politics research topics explore the intersection of political science and philosophical thought. These themes focus on fundamental questions, such as the purpose of politics and its effects on society. Here are a few ideas to get your started:

• Relevance of Machiavelli's theories today.
• Understanding justice in Plato's Republic.
• Influence of Kantian ethics on governance.
• Are human rights universal or culturally relative?
• Interplay of liberty and equality in societies.
• Exploring Hobbes' notion of social contract.
• Rawls versus Nozick: theories of justice compared.
• Feminist perspectives on political participation.
• Role of ethics in bureaucratic institutions.
• Marx's theory of capitalism: A critical review.
• Foucault's perspectives on power and control.
• Locke's influence on modern democracies.
• Concepts of civil disobedience in Thoreau's writings.
• Arendt on violence, power, and authority.
• Exploring Gramsci's theory of cultural hegemony.
• Derrida's deconstruction: A political tool?
• Nietzsche’s perspectives on societal structure.
• Understanding politics through Spinoza's lens.
• Evaluating communitarianism in contemporary societies.
• Habermas on communicative action in politics.

>> View more: Philosophy Paper Topics

Political Science Research Topics on Public Law

Public law is one of the most popular subdomains of political science, as it focuses on legal systems and state power. It's a domain that lets you explore how laws are formulated, implemented, and impact society. Below you can find various political research questions in public law, including constitutional issues, administrative governance, and individual rights, among others.

• Role of constitution in shaping governance.
• Impact of judicial activism on democracy.
• Analyzing separation of powers in governments.
• Free speech rights in digital platforms.
• Repercussions of surveillance laws on privacy.
• Comparative study of electoral laws.
• Analyzing federalism in constitutional law.
• Police power and civil liberties.
• Effectiveness of anti-discrimination laws.
• Administrative discretion: Power and accountability.
• Impact of immigration laws on societies.
• Understanding lawmaking process in parliamentary systems.
• Role of supreme courts in constitutional interpretation.
• Law enforcement and minority rights.
• Legal aspects of environmental protection.
• Hate speech laws and freedom of expression.
• Public health laws in times of crisis.
• Legal mechanisms to fight corruption.
• Analyzing gun control laws across nations.
• Legal challenges in the implementation of welfare policies.

>> Learn more:  Law Research Topics

Research Topics in Political Science on Public Administration

Public administration is the study of how governments and other public institutions are managed. It examines their structures, operations, policies, and politics to understand how they work in practice. Here's a collection of project topics for political science on public administration worth attention:

• Understanding bureaucracy in modern governance.
• Role of public administrators in policy implementation.
• Effect of administrative reforms on public services.
• Importance of ethics in public administration.
• Evaluating public financial management systems.
• Role of e-governance in public service delivery.
• Analyzing gender representation in public administration.
• Public administration in urban planning.
• Role of public-private partnerships in governance.
• Crisis management strategies in public administration.
• Leadership challenges in public organizations.
• Role of transparency in public service delivery.
• Organizational culture in public administration.
• Analyzing the politics-administration dichotomy.
• Decision-making processes in public organizations.
• Evaluating accountability mechanisms in public administration.
• Human resource challenges in public services.
• Impact of corruption on public administration.
• Role of citizens' participation in public administration.
• Comparative study of public administration models.

Political Science Research Paper Topics on Comparative Politics

Comparative politics research topics offer a window into how different political systems operate, what works, and what needs reevaluation. It encourages you to step outside the boundaries of your local context and grasp a more global perspective on political processes. The following political essay topics and paper ideas will fit any compare and contrast essay or project.

• Social welfare measures across democracies.
• Examining stability in different governmental systems.
• Comparative analysis of electoral mechanisms.
• Impact of societal culture on governance.
• Federalism versus unitary systems: A comparative study.
• Scrutinizing corruption in diverse economies.
• A cross-nation study of education systems.
• Protection of minority rights across countries.
• Comparing freedom of the press globally.
• Role of armed forces in various governmental structures.
• Analyzing constitutional designs across nations.
• A study on decentralization efforts in different countries.
• Comparative research on party systems.
• Gender and leadership: A cross-country examination.
• Populism in different societal contexts.
• Comparative view of environmental conservation measures.
• Human rights protections in different nations.
• Influence of colonial history on modern governance.
• Cross-national study of immigration rules.
• Role of religion in different governance systems.

Political Science Research Topics on Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution is an essential field in political science, focusing on the methods and strategies used to mitigate disputes on local, national, and international levels. It opens up opportunities to explore how peace is achieved, maintained, and sometimes lost. Below you can find political issues to write about if you want to focus on different disputes.

• Peacebuilding strategies in post-war societies.
• Role of diplomacy in averting conflicts.
• Effectiveness of international arbitration.
• Power sharing as a tool for peace.
• Influence of civil society on conflict resolution.
• Role of United Nations in global peacekeeping.
• Mediation strategies in intra-state conflicts.
• Women in peace negotiations.
• Strategies for resolving territorial disputes.
• Analyzing post-conflict reconciliation processes.
• Impact of economic sanctions on conflict resolution.
• Role of international law in conflict mitigation.
• Effectiveness of non-violent resistance.
• Analyzing the success of peace treaties.
• Study of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration processes.
• Resolving resource-based conflicts.
• Role of third parties in conflict resolution.
• Approaches to addressing ethnic conflicts.
• Influence of climate change on conflict resolution.
• Cyber conflict resolution strategies.

Political Science Research Topics on Meditation and Negotiation

Mediation and negotiation sit at the heart of conflict resolution, focusing on peaceful strategies to address disputes and foster cooperation. These techniques find wide application in various contexts, from local disagreements to international conflicts. These interesting research topics in political science allow you to understand how these processes work in theory and practice:

• Role of intermediaries in peace processes.
• Strategies for successful diplomatic discussions.
• Comparative analysis of negotiation techniques.
• Dialogue styles in international diplomacy.
• Analyzing the success of secret diplomatic talks.
• Role of non-state actors in negotiation.
• Gender dynamics in discussion processes.
• Influence of cultural factors on dispute resolution.
• Role of international organizations in diplomatic dialogues.
• Arbitration in maritime territorial disputes.
• Use of discussions in trade agreements.
• Role of trust in successful dialogues.
• Addressing power asymmetry in discussions.
• Track II diplomacy in mediation.
• Impact of communication technology on dispute settlement.
• Role of empathy in successful negotiation.
• Influence of domestic politics on international mediation..
• Conflict resolution strategies in labor disputes.
• Role of transparency in negotiations.
• Evolution of dispute resolution techniques over time.

>> View more: Communication Research Topics

International Relations Political Research Topics

International relations explores connections among nations, the roles of sovereign states, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and multinational corporations. This field offers a multitude of engaging research topics ranging from issues of diplomacy, international conflict, global cooperation, to international trade. Here are some political science research ideas that focus on international relations:

• Role of multinational corporations in global governance.
• Cross-border environmental cooperation.
• Effectiveness of international law enforcement.
• Influence of globalism on sovereignty.
• Impact of digital diplomacy in foreign relations.
• Evolution of global power structures.
• Influence of cultural diplomacy in global partnerships.
• Strategies for global poverty reduction.
• Understanding geopolitics in Arctic exploration.
• Challenges to global health collaboration.
• Role of non-state actors in global governance.
• Interplay of economics and international relations.
• Humanitarian interventions: A critical analysis.
• Cross-border migration and its global implications.
• International responses to global pandemics.
• Role of international courts in justice delivery.
• Diplomacy in the age of information technology.
• Analyzing global disarmament efforts.
• Global efforts in counter-terrorism.
• Evolution of international trade agreements.

American Politics Research Paper Topics

American politics is a wide-ranging field, including issues from the local, state, to national levels. It incorporates diverse aspects like public opinion, public policy, ideological shifts, and more. The United States' unique political system offers abundant potential for research. Here are American politics research topics for your next project:

• Evolution of American federalism.
• Impact of Supreme Court decisions on society.
• Understanding American political polarization.
• Role of third parties in U.S. elections.
• Influence of social movements on legislation.
• Examining executive orders' effectiveness.
• Shifts in public opinion on climate change.
• Impact of lobbying on American health care reform.
• Influence of Presidential debates on voters.
• Effects of gerrymandering on electoral outcomes.
• Analyzing campaign finance reform in U.S.
• Role of think tanks in shaping U.S. policy.
• Implications of immigration reform on U.S. economy.
• Gun control debate and policy outcomes.
• Social justice and law enforcement reform.
• Influence of race and ethnicity on voting patterns.
• Role of the media in shaping public opinion.
• Analyzing the U.S. response to global pandemics.
• Examination of U.S. trade policies.
• Impact of technology on U.S. governance.

Government Research Paper Topics

Government is a broad field that includes many different subdomains and politics topics to discuss. It revolves around the structures, processes, and functions of governing bodies, allowing you to explore the inner workings of various political systems. Here are some useful ideas on government:

• Evaluating the meritocracy in civil services.
• Digitization of public services: Impact and challenges.
• Understanding state surveillance: Balancing security and privacy.
• Impact of decentralization on local development.
• Government's role in disaster management.
• Analyzing the government's role in fostering innovation.
• Study on government initiatives for financial inclusion.
• Role of government in mitigating income inequality.
• Government strategies in promoting renewable energy.
• Analysis of government responses to recessions.
• Public-private partnerships in infrastructure development.
• Government regulation of the gig economy.
• Role of government in promoting cultural heritage.
• Public sector reforms for better governance.
• Government interventions in housing markets.
• Assessing government transparency initiatives.
• Government's role in universal health care provision.
• The impact of political term limits on governance.
• Government initiatives in curbing the opioid crisis.
• The role of governments in combating online misinformation.

Political Science Research Questions

Research questions provide a clear direction to your studies, defining what you want to achieve. Here are some unique research questions for political science that span a wide array of sub-areas:

• How does social media shape public opinion on climate change policy?
• How can local governments boost civic engagement?
• How does income inequality impact political participation?
• How do trade policies affect domestic industries?
• How do immigration laws influence national identity?
• How does political advertising affect voter turnout?
• How does corruption impact public trust in government?
• How does gender representation in government influence policy decisions?
• What role does education play in political awareness?
• How does political satire influence public perception of politicians?
• How have government responses to pandemics evolved over time?
• How does foreign aid impact the donor-recipient relationship?
• How can governments leverage technology to improve public services?
• How does cybersecurity impact national defense strategies?
• How do international treaties impact national sovereignty?
• How do political ideologies shape foreign policy?
• How can governments promote sustainable urban development?
• What is the role of youth in shaping future politics?
• How does political stability affect economic growth?
• How does political rhetoric shape public perception of immigration?

Extra Political Science Topics for Research Papers

Although the topics for political science research papers given above should help you kickstart your project, here are a few extra ideas to make sure you write an excellent project:

• Green parties' influence on environmental sustainability.
• Significance of political graffiti in social movements.
• Virtual reality's potential in public engagement.
• Role of cognitive psychology in voter behavior.
• Understanding biopolitics: control and manipulation.
• Space law's implications for international cooperation.
• Implications of Internet of Things (IoT) for national security.
• Analysis of language used in peace treaties.
• Incorporating indigenous governance in modern state systems.
• Decoding humor in political satire.
• Political underpinnings in fantasy literature.
• Political landscapes in virtual communities.
• The politics of cryptocurrency regulation.
• Using machine learning to predict election outcomes.
• Role of street art in political protests.
• Exploring the politics of veganism.
• Political dimensions of genetic engineering ethics.
• Pop culture's influence on political consciousness.
• Influence of climate fiction ("cli-fi") on environmental policy.
• Geopolitical consequences of the commercialization of space.

Bottom Line on Political Science Topics

We did our best to provide you with an assortment of good topics for political science research paper in every subdomain. Whether you're interested in philosophy, public law, international affairs, or something else entirely – this collection should have it all. We hope that at least one of these themes motivates you to do your best work yet! Remember that you can buy coursework or any other academic paper from certified writers with solid experience.

Don't worry! Our team of qualified professionals is ready to offer research paper help , ensuring you submit quality work in no time. So why stress over extensive research and drafting when you can get expert assistance at your fingertips? Contact us now to get expert assistance.

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300+ Political Science Research Topics

Political Science is a fascinating field that deals with the study of governments, public policies, and political behavior. It encompasses a wide range of topics , from the intricacies of international relations to the workings of democratic systems. Political Science research has a crucial role in understanding these phenomena, analyzing them, and suggesting solutions to societal problems. There are various Political Science research topics that researchers can explore, and each topic offers a unique perspective on the field. In this article, we will discuss some of the most interesting Political Science research topics that have significant implications for society.

Political Science Research Topics

Political Science Research Topics are as follows:

• The effects of globalization on national sovereignty
• The role of political parties in shaping policy outcomes
• The impact of the media on political decision-making
• The effectiveness of international organizations in promoting global cooperation
• The relationship between democracy and economic development
• The influence of interest groups on political outcomes
• The role of political ideology in shaping policy preferences
• The impact of identity politics on political discourse
• The challenges of democratic governance in developing countries
• The role of social media in shaping political attitudes and behavior
• The impact of immigration on electoral politics
• The influence of religion on political participation and voting behavior
• The effects of gerrymandering on electoral outcomes
• The role of the judiciary in shaping public policy
• The impact of campaign finance regulations on electoral outcomes
• The effects of lobbying on policy outcomes
• The role of civil society in promoting democratic accountability
• The impact of political polarization on democratic governance
• The influence of public opinion on policy decisions
• The effectiveness of international sanctions in promoting human rights
• The relationship between corruption and economic development
• The role of the media in promoting government transparency
• The impact of social movements on political change
• The effects of terrorism on domestic and international politics
• The role of gender in shaping political outcomes
• The influence of international law on state behavior
• The impact of environmental policy on economic development
• The role of NGOs in promoting global governance
• The effects of globalization on human rights
• The relationship between economic inequality and political polarization
• The role of education in promoting democratic citizenship
• The impact of nationalism on international politics
• The influence of international trade on state behavior
• The effects of foreign aid on economic development
• The role of political institutions in promoting democratic stability
• The impact of electoral systems on political representation
• The effects of colonialism on contemporary political systems
• The relationship between religion and state power
• The role of human rights organizations in promoting democratic accountability
• The impact of social welfare policy on economic inequality
• The influence of cultural identity on political behavior
• The effects of globalization on cultural diversity
• The role of civil liberties in promoting democratic citizenship
• The impact of globalization on labor rights
• The effects of climate change on international politics
• The role of identity politics in promoting social justice
• The influence of populism on democratic governance
• The impact of economic sanctions on state behavior
• The role of international conflict resolution in promoting peace
• The effects of globalization on the distribution of wealth and power.
• The impact of social media on political polarization
• The effects of campaign finance laws on elections
• The role of interest groups in shaping public policy
• The effectiveness of international human rights organizations
• The causes and consequences of political corruption
• The impact of globalization on national sovereignty
• The role of the media in shaping public opinion
• The influence of public opinion on policy making
• The relationship between economic inequality and political participation
• The effects of electoral systems on representation
• The role of political parties in democratic governance
• The relationship between religion and politics
• The effectiveness of peacekeeping operations
• The impact of immigration on political systems
• The relationship between environmental policy and economic growth
• The effects of globalization on labor rights
• The effectiveness of international trade agreements
• The impact of populism on democratic institutions
• The causes and consequences of political violence
• The relationship between nationalism and globalization
• The role of international organizations in conflict resolution
• The effectiveness of international sanctions
• The impact of media ownership on news coverage
• The relationship between political culture and democracy
• The effects of social movements on policy change
• The role of civil society in democratic governance
• The relationship between gender and political participation
• The effectiveness of public-private partnerships in delivering public services
• The impact of foreign aid on economic development
• The role of civil-military relations in democratic governance
• The relationship between foreign policy and national security
• The effects of decentralization on public service delivery
• The impact of trade on labor standards
• The role of international law in regulating state behavior
• The relationship between economic sanctions and regime change
• The effects of political advertising on elections
• The role of executive power in democratic governance
• The impact of social welfare policies on poverty reduction
• The relationship between civil liberties and national security
• The effects of globalization on the environment
• The role of international organizations in promoting human rights
• The relationship between migration and security
• The impact of privatization on public service delivery
• The role of civil society in promoting social justice
• The effects of political polarization on policy making
• The relationship between international law and national sovereignty
• The impact of international aid on governance and democracy
• The impact of political polarization on democracy
• The role of social media in political activism
• The effects of lobbying on government decision-making
• The dynamics of international conflict resolution
• The impact of globalization on the power of nation-states
• The relationship between economic development and democratization
• The effectiveness of international aid in promoting democracy
• The role of international organizations in shaping global governance
• The impact of corruption on democratic institutions
• The role of the media in shaping public opinion and political outcomes
• The impact of political advertising on voter behavior
• The relationship between political participation and social identity
• The role of civil society in promoting democracy
• The impact of political parties on democratic governance
• The impact of globalization on environmental policy
• The impact of globalization on labor standards
• The impact of globalization on human rights
• The role of international law in promoting global justice
• The impact of trade policy on domestic politics
• The impact of international trade agreements on labor standards
• The impact of international trade agreements on the environment
• The impact of military spending on economic development
• The impact of military intervention on democracy
• The impact of military intervention on human rights
• The impact of military intervention on international security
• The impact of income inequality on democratic institutions
• The impact of income inequality on social welfare policy
• The impact of income inequality on public health
• The impact of income inequality on education policy
• The impact of cultural diversity on political representation
• The impact of cultural diversity on social welfare policy
• The impact of cultural diversity on education policy
• The impact of cultural diversity on public health
• The impact of social movements on economic policy
• The impact of social movements on foreign policy
• The impact of social movements on civil rights
• The impact of populism on democracy
• The impact of populism on foreign policy
• The impact of populism on economic policy
• The impact of populism on social welfare policy
• The impact of nationalism on international relations
• The impact of nationalism on domestic politics
• The impact of nationalism on economic policy
• The impact of nationalism on civil rights
• The impact of technology on political power
• The impact of technology on political participation
• The impact of technology on democracy
• The impact of social media on political communication
• The effectiveness of campaign finance regulations
• The role of interest groups in shaping policy outcomes
• The influence of media bias on public opinion
• The impact of demographic changes on electoral outcomes
• The role of identity politics in shaping political attitudes
• The effects of term limits on legislative behavior
• The relationship between authoritarianism and economic development
• The effectiveness of public opinion polls in predicting election outcomes
• The role of political parties in democratic consolidation
• The impact of judicial activism on policy outcomes
• The relationship between public opinion and policy outcomes
• The effectiveness of citizen initiatives in promoting policy change
• The impact of globalization on political institutions
• The effects of campaign advertising on voter behavior
• The relationship between nationalism and foreign policy
• The impact of voting laws on political participation
• The role of interest groups in shaping foreign policy
• The effects of social movements on political change
• The relationship between democracy and economic growth
• The effectiveness of lobbying on policy outcomes
• The impact of the media on political polarization
• The role of international norms in promoting human rights
• The relationship between government corruption and economic development
• The effectiveness of policy diffusion in promoting policy change
• The impact of trade policies on economic growth
• The role of international institutions in managing global crises
• The effects of populism on democratic governance
• The relationship between foreign aid and economic development
• The effectiveness of proportional representation systems in promoting democracy
• The impact of social media on political participation
• The role of civil liberties in democratic governance
• The effects of decentralization on governance
• The relationship between nationalism and democratic governance
• The effectiveness of public-private partnerships in promoting economic development
• The role of the military in democratic governance
• The effects of federalism on policy outcomes
• The effectiveness of conflict resolution strategies in promoting peace
• The impact of political polarization on policy outcomes
• The role of transparency in promoting democratic governance
• The effects of immigration policies on social cohesion
• The relationship between gender and political representation
• The effectiveness of international human rights law in promoting accountability
• The impact of social media on political participation and voter behavior.
• The role of the media in shaping public opinion on immigration policies.
• An analysis of the impact of economic inequality on democratic participation.
• A study of the effect of international aid on development and political stability in low-income countries.
• A comparative analysis of the political systems of China and the United States.
• An examination of the impact of political polarization on the effectiveness of democratic governance.
• The role of political parties in shaping government policies and programs.
• The impact of lobbying on government decision-making.
• An analysis of the impact of political corruption on economic development.
• The role of civil society organizations in promoting democratic governance.
• A study of the effect of public opinion on foreign policy decision-making.
• An examination of the role of interest groups in shaping environmental policy.
• The impact of globalization on the distribution of wealth and power.
• An analysis of the impact of campaign finance laws on the electoral process.
• The role of the judiciary in protecting individual rights and freedoms.
• A comparative analysis of the healthcare systems of developed countries.
• An examination of the impact of terrorism on civil liberties and human rights.
• The role of international organizations in promoting global governance.
• An analysis of the impact of social movements on political change.
• A study of the effect of political violence on democratic governance.
• The impact of political ideology on public policy.
• The role of the executive branch in shaping foreign policy.
• An examination of the impact of gender on political representation and leadership.
• The impact of climate change on global security and governance.
• A comparative analysis of the education systems of developed countries.
• An analysis of the impact of gerrymandering on electoral outcomes.
• The role of the military in shaping foreign policy and national security.
• The impact of populism on democratic governance.
• An examination of the role of civil liberties in protecting individual rights.
• The impact of political polarization on social welfare policies.
• The role of political elites in shaping public policy and decision-making.
• The impact of the media on the political agenda-setting process.
• A study of the effect of political institutions on economic growth.
• The role of international law in shaping global governance.
• The impact of nationalism on international relations.
• An analysis of the impact of immigration on social cohesion and integration.
• The role of trade agreements in shaping global economic governance.
• A comparative analysis of the electoral systems of developed countries.
• An examination of the impact of economic sanctions on global governance.
• The impact of public opinion on the implementation of social welfare policies.
• A study of the effect of military intervention on democratic governance.
• The role of international human rights law in protecting individual rights and freedoms.
• The impact of populism on social welfare policies.
• An analysis of the impact of religious institutions on political decision-making.
• The role of non-state actors in shaping global governance.
• The impact of political discourse on political behavior and attitudes.
• A study of the effect of globalization on income inequality.
• The role of international trade in shaping global economic governance.
• An examination of the impact of colonialism on modern political systems.
• The impact of regionalism on international relations.
• The role of media bias in shaping public opinion on political issues.
• An analysis of the impact of populism on democratic governance.
• A comparative study of the political systems of democratic and authoritarian regimes.
• The impact of gender on political representation and decision-making.
• A study of the effect of the European Union on national sovereignty and democracy.
• An examination of the role of civil society in promoting democracy and human rights.
• The impact of immigration on social welfare policies in developed countries.
• A comparative analysis of the healthcare systems of developed and developing countries.
• An analysis of the impact of corruption on economic development and political stability.
• The role of interest groups in shaping public policy and decision-making.
• The impact of international organizations on global governance and cooperation.
• A study of the effect of campaign finance regulations on political campaigns and electoral outcomes.
• An examination of the role of the judiciary in protecting individual rights and liberties.
• The impact of political ideology on foreign policy decision-making.
• A comparative analysis of the education systems of developed and developing countries.
• An analysis of the impact of nationalism on international relations and global governance.
• The impact of climate change on national security and foreign policy.
• A study of the effect of military intervention on human rights and democracy.
• An examination of the impact of gerrymandering on electoral outcomes and representation.
• The role of non-state actors in shaping global governance and decision-making.
• The impact of economic inequality on democratic participation and representation.
• A comparative analysis of the electoral systems of democratic and authoritarian regimes.
• An analysis of the impact of social movements on political change and decision-making.
• The role of civil liberties in protecting individual rights and freedoms.
• A study of the effect of international trade agreements on global economic governance.
• An examination of the role of interest groups in shaping environmental policy and decision-making.
• The impact of populism on social welfare policies and economic development.
• An analysis of the impact of political polarization on the effectiveness of democratic governance.
• The impact of colonialism on modern political systems and institutions.
• A study of the effect of economic sanctions on global governance and cooperation.
• An examination of the impact of religious institutions on political decision-making and human rights.
• The role of regionalism in shaping international relations and global governance.
• The impact of social media on political participation and activism.
• An analysis of the impact of international aid on development and political stability in low-income countries.
• The role of the executive branch in shaping foreign policy and national security.
• A study of the effect of political violence on democratic governance and human rights.
• The impact of trade policy on global economic governance and cooperation.
• An analysis of the impact of political corruption on economic development and political stability.
• The impact of public opinion on foreign policy decision-making and international relations.
• A study of the effect of military spending on economic growth and development.
• An examination of the role of civil society organizations in promoting democratic governance and human rights.

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Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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Political Science

Undergraduate sample research topics.

Students in the Department of Political Science at Western Michigan University will want to review these sample research topics when selecting their own research topic.

• A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Office of Independent Counsel
• A Study on Equitable Water Provision in Latin America
• Affirmative Action: National Origin Minorities
• Aid to the Health-Related Sector: The United States, Japan, and Germany
• An Assessment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
• An Evaluation of International Law as Applied to Genocide from Nuremberg to the Balkans
• Celebrity Influence on Political Campaigns
• Children Soldiers in Africa
• Development of a Constitutional Right of Privacy
• Educational Outcomes in Michigan: A Lack of Focus and Context
• Effectiveness of Rape Shield Laws
• Globalization and the Anti-Globalization Movement
• Legislative Redistricting in Illinois for 2002
• Mexico, Corporate Globalization and the Media
• Mexico's Changing Political Party System
• Nature Within the City: The Greenway Movement and the Transformation of Urban Form
• Pretextual Automobile Stops and the Fourth Amendment
• Public Education and Religious Establishment
• Racial Profiling in post 9/11 United States Content Regulation in Broadcasting
• Religious Exercise in Public Schools: Continuing Debate
• Rights and Their Progression from State to Federal Policy: The Case of the Disability Rights Movement
• Sexual Harassment: Comparative Legal Analysis
• Squatter Settlements in Post-Apartheid South Africa
• Stereotypes Between American and Arab-Americans in the United States
• Telecommunications Policy in China
• The "Political Question" Doctrine and Reapportionment
• The Austrian Freedom Party in 2000
• The Debt Crisis in Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
• The Effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement
• The Equal Rights Amendment: Why Controversy Ensured its Defeat
• The Evolution (and Devolution) of Affirmative Action Initiatives
• The 14th Amendment and Privacy
• The Influence of the Antislavery Movement, Republican Ideology, and Federalism on the 14th Amendment
• The Lemon Test and the Religious Establishment Clause
• The Patriot Act: Security/Rights Issues in Historical Perspective
• The Political Economy of the Micro-Island Nations of the Caribbean: The Impact of Tourism on Caribbean Culture, Environment and Society
• The Supreme Court and Reproductive Rights
• The Supreme Court and Sexual Preference
• Title IX and Collegiate Athletic Opportunities
• Truth Commissions and Civil Society
• U.S.-Japanese Trade Policy: A Defense of Limited Unilateralism
• Weapons of the Weak and the Chinese Occupation of Tibet
• Women and Equal Pay: An Assessment of Differences in Universities
• Women, Identity and Political Activism During the Allende Regime in Chile

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The Top 10 Most Interesting Political Science Research Topics

Coming up with good political science research topics may seem like a daunting task. Whether you’re interested in foreign policy, international conflict, or immigration policy, it is worthwhile to take some time to research and find out which topics are currently relevant before diving into research. You want a topic that is manageable and meaningful. After all, you are going to invest a good deal of time and effort in answering the central questions of your project.

In this article, we will show you ten examples of political science research topics for bachelor’s degree students. We also show you how to craft political science research questions that work. With this list of currently relevant political science research paper topics, you can be sure you’ll work on something meaningful and relevant.

Find your bootcamp match

What makes a strong political science research topic.

A strong research topic is original and relevant. It builds on previous studies published by reputable sources. It’s broad enough to be relatable but narrow enough to be unique. To get some ideas, you can explore the most recent topics published in Cambridge University Press’s American Political Science Review . It covers all areas of political science, from American politics to foreign relations.

Ask teachers from your academic department what they are currently writing about. Talk to your academic advisor if you can’t find a strong topic. Finally, make sure that your topic follows the guidelines set by your teacher.

Tips for Choosing a Political Science Research Topic

• Pick a meaningful topic. The research will be more enjoyable if you find it personally interesting. For instance, if immigration policy is a topic of personal value to you, you can center your research topic around it and this will help you stay engaged in your research.
• Discuss research ideas with classmates. They can help you find insight from a fresh perspective.
• Make sure your topic has a manageable size. One of the major requirements for choosing a topic is making sure that it will be manageable. Explore some key questions in your chosen field until you narrow your own topic down to something you can take on successfully.
• Use reputable sources. Choose authoritative articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Make sure you choose the ones relevant to your topic, whether that is democratic governments, the political behavior of a particular group, or a particular authoritarian regime.
• Join the current scholarly debate. Make your topic part of cutting-edge research. Discussing things like current forms of government or current political events will help you ensure your chosen topic will contribute to salient issues of political theory as well as critical policy debates.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

A research topic is a focused area of study in a scientific field or subfield. The goal of the research question is to narrow down that area even further. By answering the research question, you contribute to understanding the topic. The research question guides your research and writing, leading you to make a contribution to that particular topic and field.

How to Create Strong Political Science Research Questions

Gather information on your topic to get familiar with the current research. Find an interesting aspect to explore. Identify the gaps in the research mentioned in articles about your topic. Now, try to find a question that would address that gap.

Start your question with what, why, when, or how. The question must be clear and focused. You can also use guides to develop a research question by narrowing the topic to help you get started.

Top 10 Political Science Research Paper Topics

1. building government capacity to address global environmental challenges.

Complex tradeoffs are part of environmental policy, especially in the 21st Century. Green technology investments can boost the economy and create jobs. But workers in the oil and coal industry will lose them. This is all part of an ongoing discussion about environmental protection and the political attitudes of different groups towards green policies.

The public will support climate policy only if the costs are fairly distributed. Governments have to generate transparent policies to earn the trust of the citizens. This controversial topic demands a good deal of research, an understanding of environmental policy, an analysis of policy outcomes, and the development of new political theories.

2. Influence of Social Movements and Advocacy Groups on Policymaking

The government often makes its policies behind closed doors. In response, social movements organize to get access to and take part in policymaking. Every representative democracy needs the participation of social movements and advocacy groups. They help to hold the American government accountable, ensuring the human rights of citizens are protected.

Social movements and advocacy groups have a powerful influence on public opinion, and can influence the political participation of specific groups. American politics has to consider their ideas to improve political attitudes. Political science researchers have to expand on this topic to understand collective action.

3. Effect of an Interdependent World on the Roles of Governments and Institutions

Many of the policy challenges at a domestic level are now global, and political leaders know this. Governments need policies to regulate institutions, promote international cooperation, and lessen political disputes. They need to train their workforce with a global mindset. This also has a direct impact on political campaigns and electoral politics.

As globalization influences the political development of all nations, government employees are now working on an international stage. They need knowledge of international relations to share knowledge and collaborate. Policymaking for an interdependent world is a relevant political science topic.

4. Prosperity and Equality Through Public Policy

The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging the financial stability of many families. Technological disruptions cause unexpected changes in the international markets. Clearly, we cannot take for granted the economic resilience of the country. The government uses economic policy to protect prosperity and equality. Economic development is a major topic in political science research.

5. Factors Influencing Policymaking Around Taxes, Regulation, and Trade

Tax policy affects economic development and social progress. Economic reform is part of the international conversation on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development . Trade regulation and immigration policies are frequently discussed in political science research, making them a great topic for any aspiring political scientist.

6. Influence of Gender, Race, Class, and Other Aspects of Identity on Policymaking

Diversity and intersectionality are becoming necessary topics in modern politics. Educational institutions and public companies are adopting equity and inclusion goals. The expectations for incorporating diversity in policymaking are higher than ever. Policymaking to prevent discrimination and create the grounds for fair immigration policy is a highly relevant topic.

7. The Role of Government in Providing Affordable Healthcare

Universal Health Coverage (UHU) is a World Health Organization (WHO) initiative to provide global access to healthcare services. The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving this goal.

The COVID-19 pandemic made clear the need for international cooperation in health. International relations theories have to change to make UHU possible. Global health policymaking is a pressing research topic in modern politics.

8. Mitigating Cyber Breaches And Security Challenges Through Policymaking

Countries are adopting cyber security strategies through policymaking. Some of them have a dedicated agency for cyber security. Worldwide, information and technology assets are growing in importance. Cyber security is now part of contemporary world politics and the economic development of nations.

Cyber regulation comes with a whole new set of policymaking challenges that contemporary world politics needs to tackle. It involves international cooperation and coordination. Policymaking to neutralize cyber threats is a growing topic in modern politics research.

9. Harnessing Data for Good Governance

Partnerships between public institutions and private companies facilitate the use of big data. This comes with several institutional challenges, like combining data sources. Regulating data access and addressing privacy concerns will need extensive policymaking. Modernizing data governance is a current topic in political science research.

10. Regulating Disinformation In the United States Through Public Policy

Americans are turning to social media and biased websites to make sense of politics. The proliferation of misinformation is fueling division and polarization, and can depress public confidence and discourage political participation. Regulating disinformation through public policy is becoming an urgent topic.

Regulating freedom of speech is not common in the American political tradition. Political scientists use cost-benefit analysis to find balanced solutions for these complex problems. There are growing opportunities for research on the topic of misinformation regulation and the role of government in the digital age.

Other Examples of Political Science Research Topics & Questions

Political science research topics.

• Ethnic Conflict Between Americans and Arab-Americans in the United States
• Telecommunications Policies in China
• The Supreme Court and Reproductive Rights
• The Evolution of Affirmative Action Initiatives
• The Development of a Constitutional Right of Privacy

Political Science Research Questions

• How can public leaders balance political realities and policy priorities?
• What developments in science and technology are changing political attitudes?
• Will public-private partnerships change the approach of government to public problems?
• How do policymakers navigate the tensions between private power and democratic values?
• How can public policymaking integrate a human rights perspective?

Choosing the Right Political Science Research Topic

It is important to know how to choose a research topic if you want to pursue a political science degree . The right political science research topic is engaging and manageable. Choose a topic that is interesting to you. It will keep you engaged and motivated during the research process. Keep in mind that your initial research topic might change. As your expertise grows, your topic will become more precise.

Political Science Research Topics FAQ

Political science is a field of knowledge that studies political phenomena. American politics, political theories, and international politics are common topics in political science. Political scientists use comparative politics and policy analysis to improve public problems.

Political science research is important because it improves public policies and can lead to necessary legal reform. It helps citizens understand American politics and foreign policy issues. Research in political science improves international cooperation and global environmental policies, and helps us make sense of major world events.

Yes, you can get a political science degree online. You can get a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in political science without going to college. There are several online political science degree options from good universities. With a Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED), you can get a political science associate degree in two years.

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With a degree in political science, you can get a job as a legislative assistant or a campaign manager. Social media managers for political institutions are also in demand. With a graduate degree in political science, you can become a policy analyst or an urban planner. Political scientists can work in either academia or the private sector.

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135 great political science research topics to write best paper.

We know, every high school, college or university student needs some good, interesting political science research topics. After all, your grade depends a lot on the quality of the topic you choose. Your professor expects you to submit a well researched and well written essay on a topic that piques his interest. Finding such a topic can be much more difficult than you imagine. The good news is that our writers and editors have created a list of unique political science research topics for students of all ages. Why don’t you take a look at our list of ideas and pick one right now?

Choosing the Best Political Science Topics Possible

If you are looking for the best and most interesting political science topics, you have arrived at the right place. Choosing the topics that can earn you top grades is now easier than ever. All you have to do is go through our list (you have 16 categories to choose from) and pick the topics you like. All our topics are unique at the time this list was created. And the good news is that we are updating this list frequently to make sure we can help as many students as possible with original ideas. Also, our topics can be used for free. You don’t have to pay for them or give us credit, so why don’t you pick one right now:

A Hot Political Topic

If you are looking for a hot political topic, you can find several of them right here. Take a look at our list and pick any one of our topics:

• Civil rights controversies in the United Kingdom
• Freedom of speech in the United States
• Talk about abortion and its political implications
• Social security issues in Australia
• Climate change and politics
• Discuss the death penalty in the US
• Censorship in China
• Social security issues in African countries
• Who should benefit from health insurance?
• Should we adopt an universal minimum income?

Political Science Research Questions

• Our creative writers though about some interesting political science research questions that you can answer in your next research paper:
• What is the state authority?
• What is a totalitarian government?
• Is Vladimir Putin a dictator?
• What are the benefits of a democratic government?
• Why do we study political science in school?
• What is comparative politics?
• How do social changes influence the politics in your country?
• What is communism?
• What are the negative effects of anarchism?
• Where does political power come from in the United States?
• Is a dictatorship the same as a monarchy?
• What makes a ruler a dictator?

Conflicts in Politics Ideas

Would you like to write an essay about conflicts in politics? We have some very interesting conflicts in politics ideas right here:

• What are political disputes?
• The best way to settle a political dispute
• An in-depth look at the Vietnam War
• How did the war in Afghanistan start?
• The conflict between Joe Biden and Donald Trump
• Propaganda techniques during political wars
• Free speech and hate speech in political conflicts
• Controversial aspects of a recent political conflict
• Conflicts between politics and religion
• Donald Trump versus Barack Obama

Easy Political Topics to Write About

We know you want to spend as little time as possible on your research paper . This is why we have compiled an original list of easy political topics to write about for you:

• What are the traits of a career politician?
• Discuss the concept of “political careerists”
• What makes Saddam Hussein a dictator?
• The story of Jimmy Carter
• The life and achievements of Barack Obama
• A Joe Biden biography
• How did Arnold Schwarzenegger become a politician?
• News coverage of elections in the UK
• Analyze the relations between the US and North Korea
• Compare and contrast liberalism and republicanism

International Relations Research Topics

Of course, we have some awesome topics related to international relations. Pick one of these international relations research topics and start working on your paper:

• Relations between North and South Korea
• An in-depth look at the Cold War period
• Russia-China relations in 2023
• China-US relations in 2023
• What caused the war in Afghanistan?
• The effects of nationalism in Germany
• Foreign policies of Eastern European countries towards Russia
• Discuss the rise in international terrorism
• Protecting the environment globally
• Analyze one of the many religious wars

American Government Research Paper Topics

We have some of the best and most interesting American government research paper topics right here. You’re free to use any one of them:

• What caused the American revolution?
• Politics during the Civil War
• Discuss Republican traditions in the US
• An in-depth look at election fraud in the United States
• Disaster response in the US
• What drives African American politicians?
• Analyze American federal crime law
• The US foreign policy in 2023
• Discuss the Cold War

Interesting Political Science Research Topics

We know you want to get the most interesting political science research topics possible. Here is the complete list of ideas:

• Discuss the constitutional vision of John Rohr
• Analyze The Republic written by Plato
• Research the politics in Ancient Rome
• An in-depth analysis of the politics of Ancient Greece
• Compare and contrast utilitarianism with egalitarianism
• Analyze Social Contract (written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau)
• Discuss the unequal relation between the public and the government

Public Law Topics

Interested in writing about public law? Of course, we have plenty of public law topics that you can use for your next essay:

• Analyze constitutional law in your country
• The peculiarities of administrative law in the United States
• Differences between procedural law and private law in the UK
• Tax law and criminal law versus private law
• Discuss the role of mandatory rules in public law
• Discuss the “public bodies act lawfully” principle of public law
• Do all central and local governments have to obey public law?
• What is the difference between public and private law in the US?

Comparative Politics Research Topics

We are certain your professor will surely appreciate any of our comparative politics research topics. Take a look at the list and pick the one you like the most:

• Talk about conflict and revolution in the United States
• Analyze 2 comparative parties in your country
• What are comparative political institutions?
• Define the concept of comparative politics
• Compare politics in the United States with politics in the United Kingdom
• Discuss direct and indirect binary comparisons
• Talk about the modernization theory

Good Political Topics

This is a list of good political topics that should work great in 2023:

• Analyze the national politics of a country of your choice
• Why are international relations important for political science?
• What gives legitimacy and authority in a democratic state?
• Discuss political participation in your country
• Compare and contrast political science with pure history
• Factors that influence political behavior in the United States

Political Theory Research Topics

Yes, we know that talking about political theory is not easy. However, we have some political theory research topics that are relatively easy to write about:

• An in-depth analysis of the Agrarianism political theory
• An in-depth analysis of the Egalitarianism theory
• Discuss the Phoenicianism political theory
• What is Libertarian socialism‎ and where can we find it?
• Research the topic of Zionism in 2023
• Compare and contrast socialism with communism in Eastern Europe
• Analyze 3 forms of government in use today

Current Research Topics in Political Science

Keeping up with the current events in politics may not be something you have time for. We do. Check out these current research topics in political science:

• Talk about the innovations in the public sector in the UK
• Analyze the 2019 Indian general elections
• The Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023
• Russia’s foreign policy towards Ukraine
• Discuss the rise of ISIS in Afghanistan
• Boko Haram’s expansion in Nigeria
• The American retreat from Afghanistan
• The US foreign policy towards China
• Analyze the India-China border dispute

Informative Political Science Research Paper Topics

Our writers have put together a list of highly interesting and informative political science research paper topics. Check them out below:

• Compare parliamentary and presidential democracy
• Discuss the apartheid in South Africa
• An in-depth look at the Vietnam War politics
• The effects of the Syrian conflict
• Imperialism in British Columbia
• Colonialism in African countries
• Discuss the Human Rights Act 1998 and its implications

Fresh Political Science Research Topic Ideas

Take a look at our fresh political science research topic ideas and choose the one that suits you best:

• Talk about the retreat of American troops from Afghanistan
• Talk about Joe Biden’s victory against Donald Trump
• Analyze a totalitarian government
• How did Vladimir Putin win 4 terms as president in Russia?
• The politics behind the Israeli-Palestinian war
• Discuss the role of mass media in political conflicts

Controversial Topics for a Political Science Research Paper

Why would you be afraid of talking about controversial topics? We have a list of easy controversial topics for a political science research paper right here for you:

• Discuss signs of election fraud in the United States
• Gender equality in politics
• The climate change problem across the world
• Politics and empty promises
• The use of influence in politics
• Are politicians above the law in the US?

Public Administration Topics

There are many things you can talk about when it comes to public administration. However, we feel that these public administration topics usually get high grades:

• Discuss public service motivation in the United States
• What is performance-related pay and how is it used?
• Civil service reform in the UK
• Analyze the public organizational behavior in your country
• Community service in your county
• Public administration and its link to social equity
• Sustainability projects in public administration
• Public administration: traits of a true leader
• Crisis management procedures in your area

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140 Newest Political Science Research Paper Topics

If you are reading our blog post, its means you’re desperately trying to find some amazing political science research topics. Truth be told, you’ve arrived at the right place. We have a list of original political science research topics for you right here. Furthermore, we’ve included a lot of information about finding great topics and about their benefits. Remember that all our political science topics are 100% free. We are all about helping college students get the best possible grades. We do our absolute best to update our list of political science essay topics as frequently as possible, so stay tuned for new topics!

Are Political Science Research Topics Hard to Find?

It looks like finding research topics for political science in 2023 is pretty difficult. But why? Well, because even though there are plenty of websites offering topics, you are facing fierce competition. Each one of your peers is looking for topics. And in most cases, they end up on the same websites as you do. This means that in many cases, you will write a research paper on the same subject as several of your classmates. The simple way to avoid this and find hot topics in politics is to watch the news and pick interesting things to analyze. However, this takes time; the time you may not have. After all, you have two or three other essays to write this week…

Extraordinary Political Science Topics = Top Grades

The easiest way to get some ideas is to read our list of topics in political science. At the time of writing, all the political science research paper topics are 100% original. And remember, a good topic usually means a top grade if you do a decent job at writing the paper. Why? It’s simply because professors are easily impressed by people who demonstrate originality. If you can think outside the box and stand out from the crowd, you will get bonus points . Of course, you are free to pick any of the political science paper topics below and reword them in any way.

Philosophy Research Political Science Essay Topics

Political research philosophy deals with how society should be set up and the changes needed. It discusses ethics and how they impact society. Political science research topics should be intriguing and interesting. Here is a list of research topics that your professor will find interesting in your essay:

• Research on what caused the American Revolution.
• Karl Schmidt’s thesis and German philosophy and how they affect society.
• Transition methods of post-socialist and how that impacted society.
• How does civil republicanism contrast with Liberalism?
• The justification of Liberal democracy.
• How modern political virtue is linked to the Mutual tolerance approach.
• Neopatrimonialism Society risk.
• The election ethics.
• How the Western constitution law lens views existentialism.
• The republican traditions are used in education.
• Role of philosophy on the politics of your country.
• The impact made by the American Revolution.

Political Theorists Political Science Essay Topics

Writing political theorists’ take an honorary place when students get the right political science research topics for their dissertation’s literature review. Besides, when you get interesting political science thesis topics, you can be sure that your professor will be impressed. Though such research does not give proper answers to global issues, you can work with comparative political research questions. If you have no idea about the political science research paper topics you can use, you are in the right place. Let us take a look at these ideas:

• The theory of John Austin.
• Aristotle’s philosophy on Governance.
• The thesis of Fredric Bastiat.
• Reasons why Rome failed.
• About Jean Bodin and what he failed to see about sovereignty.
• Is the trajectory followed by the US the same as that of Ancient Rome?
• The republic by Plato Analysis.
• How did Vladimir Lenin influence the communism approach?
• The political events that led to Nazism.
• How do Greco-Romans influence modern politics?
• The discipline powers Foucault’s.
• Edmund Burke Classics theories and their impact.

Interesting Political Science Research Topics

Do you want to thrill your professor? Do you want to come up with something new? If this is the case, just take a look at our list of interesting political science research topics below. You can also check out our history topics .

If you are interested in how politics gave birth to – and altered the course of – conflicts, we have some very interesting topics about conflicts on our list:

• Terrorism can be an effective political instrument.
• How did war change politics in the US?
• The effects of the Vietnam War on United States politics.
• How did the Afghanistan war start?
• The differences between armed conflicts and political conflicts.
• The effects of pardoning criminals in today’s society.
• Ways to effectively implement urgent changes in the legislation process.
• Prosecution ethics on top-tier officials.
• The federal crime comparison of the American and European Federals.
• Methods used to eliminate corruption in America and their effectiveness.
• What are the social movements of the post-war times?
• Research on modern leader’s global interdependence.

Current Research Topics in Political Science

Of course, we realize you want to stay up to date with the latest developments in political science. Your professor will be thrilled to see that you’ve chosen one of our current research topics in political science:

• Karl Schmidt thesis and German philosophy.
• What political decision by the Trump presidency had the biggest impact?
• The impact that the true commission has on civil society.
• The latest controversy surrounding Amnesty International.
• The battles were fought by superpowers around the Arctic Circle.
• How do Republicans influence US education?
• The political response to the COVID-19 crisis.
• Is religion a political power nowadays?

Public Law Topics

There are plenty of public law topics you can write an essay about. However, our academic writers have selected only the ones that have the potential to get an A+:

• Argumentative analysis of the judicial review and its impact on society.
• What is the judicial interpretation of public safety statutes?
• Discuss the privacy law and commercial exploitation.
• What are the gender bias philosophies found in custody battles?
• What is the Socio-Economic preference in Police interrogation?
• Discuss the post-conflict justice inequality.
• What is the public safety status of Judicial Interpretation?
• Similarities between common morality and criminal law.
• Top 3 best European legislators in history.
• Discuss the Human Rights Act of 1998.
• Can national security destroy civil liberty?
• Is the Internet a “politically correct” place?

Easily Researchable Topics in Political Science

Perhaps you don’t want to spend a lot of time and effort writing the political sciences essay. In this case, you may be interested in one of our easily researchable topics in political science:

• Are the politicians to be blamed for the frequent civil wars?
• What is the relationship between media and politics in America?
• The influence that social movements have on changing public policies.
• The way that the Patriot Act will be viewed in future generations.
• What is the current situation of your country’s foreign policy?
• What is the cause and effect of conflict in Syria?
• Research on the global impact of Brexit.
• Should anyone be allowed to pardon violent criminals?
• Here is how you eliminate corruption.
• Discuss the Frederic Bastiat Theses.
• Discuss Trump’s immigration crisis.
• Is the media politically biased?

International Relations Research Topics

International relations is one of the most interesting political sciences topics today. They’re also quite complex. Here are some excellent international relations research topics:

• Controversies of Amnesty International.
• What causes Global Poverty?
• Defining and analyzing global security networks.
• The power battles of the Arctic Circle.
• Human Rights in Uganda.
• How has the international relation in America changed in the past five years?
• What do people think about politicians becoming corrupt?
• What is the US’s Foreign Policy?
• The effects of the Syrian war on its politics.
• Analyzing the ethics of NGOs in America.
• What is the IMF (International Monetary Fund)?
• What causes poverty on a planetary scale?

Public Administration Topics

Are you interested in writing about public administration as part of your political sciences essay? Just take a quick look at some very public administration topics:

• How was the private sector innovated in the United States?
• Methods of community development.
• What vision did John Rohr have of the constitution?
• Ethics of the nonprofit organization.
• Administration careers of transport security.
• The compromise of environmental management.
• Innovations in the United States private sector.
• How does the Federal Emergency Management Agency work?
• What is fiscal management and why is it so important?
• How do governments coordinate their efforts?
• The best ways to reduce bureaucracy in the US.

Current International Relations Topics

Your professor is most definitely interested in current events more than he is interested in reading about the past. Give your take on any of these wonderful current international relations topics:

• Description of how the IMF works.
• What is the major cause of poverty in the world?
• Research on how global security works.
• A look at Japan and China’s foreign aid policy.
• The research and discussion on the continuous effects of Brexit.
• A look at soft law manipulative treaties.
• Research on international protection in regards to children’s rights.
• Will Israel ever accept a Palestinian state?
• Are countries alone in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Analyze the evolution of human rights in Rwanda.
• What causes the conflicts in Syria?
• Geopolitics: the quest for dominance.

Comparative Politics Research Topics

Did you know that writing about comparative politics can be fun? Analyze the political differences and similarities between various countries by writing a paper on one of our comparative politics research topics:

• Comparison to behavioral approach to parties.
• The United States and Japan Culture Pressure.
• Definition of Soviet Union Ideology and its impact.
• The Interest Aggregation of the Vietnam War.
• How developing countries recruit.
• The party hierarchy of Chinese communists.
• Traits of the Anglo Saxon in the American government.
• Compare the foreign policies of the US and the UK.
• Similarities between political parties in Scotland and Ireland.
• Differences between parliamentary and presidential democracy.
• How does apartheid begin?
• Compare and contrast communist and socialist governments.

Political Science Thesis Topics

Writing a thesis in political science can be a daunting task. However, picking the correct topic can greatly ease your workload. Here are some political science thesis topics to pick from:

• How does the endorsement by a decorated military improve the chances of a political candidate?
• What is meant when people talk about psychological politics in the modern world?
• Do unions have any impact when endorsing an election campaign?
• What impact did the Trump vs. Biden election have on foreign politics around the globe?
• Reasons why abortion should be made legal at the federal level
• What is a single controversial political decision that has impacted international policies?
• What can governments do to rid their countries of corruption?
• Should the foreign policy of the UK be changed? Why?
• How governments can help fight climate change.
• The system regulating immigration in the United States is fundamentally broken.
• Differences between the Parliament of India and the Parliament of Pakistan.

Political Philosophy Topics

Political philosophy has changed a lot over the years. Things are very much different from one country to another. Here are some interesting ideas you can use right now:

• What caused the great American Revolution of 1765?
• Is mutual tolerance in politics just a dream?
• Explain the importance of the Karl Schmidt Theses for Germany.
• What is Neopatrimonialism?
• What causes unethical behavior ahead of elections?
• Fiscal management strategic planning.
• What are the comprehensive benefits of public safety?
• What is the global independence of global leaders?
• What is religion, and is it a social power?
• What are the ethical topics that top officials in government today should discuss?
• Is there a similarity between the American and European federal crimes as seen in the past few years?
• What is the reason for the continuous immigrant crisis in Mexico?

If you need more political topics to write about (including many more international relations topics), we advise you to get in touch with our professional thesis writers . A seasoned academic writer can create a list of original, interesting topics in no time. The quality of the political topics you choose greatly influences the grades you get on your research papers, so professional assistance may prove to be invaluable.

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Political Science Research Guide

How to pick a topic.

• Background research
• Finding articles, books, and more
• Evaluating sources
• APA citation help

How to pick a topic:

Review your assignment directions and requirements.

• Are you required to pick a topic within an assigned theme, like education or advertising, or are you allowed to choose a topic from any theme?
• Are you required to use certain readings from your course? Those readings may give you ideas about potential topics.
• Think of the readings in your class that interest you most. Is there an idea or topic that you want to explore further?
• Write down a few topic ideas on a piece of paper, and ask yourself questions about those topics.
• Who is affected by this topic? Who are the key players in this topic? Who benefits (and who doesn't) from this topic?
• What are the most important issues or concerns related to this topic?
• Where does this topic exist? Is it specific to a region?
• When was this topic most relevant? Is it a historical topic or a current event?
• Why is this topic important to you? Why should it be important to your reader?
• Doing background research will help you understand your topic enough to write a research question and/or thesis statement.

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POV: Policymakers Are Entitled to Their Own Opinions. But Should They Be Entitled to Their Own Science?

Republicans are less likely to cite research than democrats and more likely to cite misleading science when they do.

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Policymakers Are Entitled to Their Own Opinions. But Should They Be Entitled to Their Own Science?

Matthew motta.

Scientific research is playing an increasingly prominent role in the policymaking process. That’s according to a new working paper , which finds that policymakers have become increasingly likely to cite scientific research when producing policy documents (e.g., congressional committee reports) on topics related to infectious disease threats, climate change, the costs of health insurance, and much more.

Reliance on scientific research in the policymaking process is, in my view, a very positive development.

That’s because the United States increasingly faces a wide range of complex policy challenges, including mitigating the effects of a changing climate, developing sustainable artificial intelligence regulations, and responding to emerging infectious disease threats. Crafting effective policy solutions that address these concerns requires specialized knowledge that most members of Congress simply cannot be expected to have.

Still, I believe that there is some cause for concern.

Some policymakers are more likely than others to defer to scientific expertise when informing their efforts to combat some of the most pressing issues facing the country today. Specifically, Republican members of Congress are less likely than Democrats to cite scientific research papers in conference proceedings. Republican elected officials at many levels of government are also less likely than Democrats to exhibit deference and respect for scientific experts.

I refer to this phenomenon as the asymmetric polarization of scientific expertise.

Asymmetric polarization in deference to scientific authority mirrors two complementary developments that I describe in my forthcoming book, Anti-Scientific Americans: The Prevalence, Origins, and Political Consequences of Anti-Intellectualism in the United States (Oxford University Press). There, I demonstrate that self-identified Republicans have become increasingly likely to hold negative views toward scientists as people—a phenomenon I and others refer to as “anti-intellectualism.”

In my book, I show that the resentment of scientific authorities tends to coincide with the election of anti-science candidates to political office. This includes Donald Trump’s rise to the White House in 2016, which was characterized by hostility toward science in many forms, such as efforts to defund scientific agencies, prevent government climate scientists from presenting the results of their research, and undermine the public health recommendations of his own administration’s public health advisors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Partisan asymmetries in public anti-intellectual attitude endorsement provide an electoral incentive for GOP policymakers to forgo soliciting the advice of scientific experts. Correspondingly, my book shows that lawmakers tend to be less likely to invite scientists to testify before congressional committees in periods of high public anti-intellectual attitude endorsement.

This dynamic may help explain the pattern of effects documented in that working paper. Republicans are less likely to defer to scientific expertise, because they see doing so as politically advantageous.

Of course, Republicans do not completely forgo citing scientific research in the policymaking process. Anecdotally, though, we do observe differences in the types of experts that partisans solicit when gathering the information necessary to inform evidence-based policy.

Consider, for example, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic’s recent hearings on the origins of COVID-19. Ostensibly, information from a fact-finding mission like this one could be used to inform policy efforts to prevent future pandemics—such as a bill sponsored by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and US Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.) aimed at investing in the development of a universal influenza vaccine.

Indeed, Democrats on the subcommittee used the hearings as an opportunity to seek out sworn testimony from research scientists who authored a scientific study documenting that the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to be the result of animal-to-human transmission than a “leak” from a virology research lab in Wuhan, China—and that the scientists reached these conclusions independently of potential political pressures.

Nevertheless, these hearings were, at times, focused on anything but the facts.

For example, subcommittee member Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who described herself as “having a PhD in recognizing bullshit,” cited data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in order to cast doubt on COVID-19 vaccine safety. As my colleague Dominik Stecula (assistant professor of political science at Colorado State University) and I have written elsewhere, VAERS data are self-reported vaccine injury claims. While these data can be useful for identifying side effects warranting further scientific study, they can nevertheless be subject to misreporting.

So, even the most extreme members of the GOP caucus seek the trappings of science for their arguments. Greene’s comments co-opt the language of science by drawing on government data to levy her anti-science claims, weaponizing science in service of casting doubt on scientific consensus. Her concerns were echoed by other GOP members of the subcommittee, including Representative Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio). 

More generally, the asymmetric polarization of scientific expertise implies that, in periods where Republicans control the legislature, science may play a less pronounced role in informing public policy. This is concerning, as the policy challenges facing our nation are not subject to biannual election cycles.

That’s why I believe that members of Congress should be entitled to their own opinions—not their own facts.

Still, I think there is plenty of reason for optimism.

If members of the American public place greater trust in science and scientists, policymakers will have less of an incentive to embrace anti-science views in Washington. I believe it is incumbent on all of us to defend the rigors of scientific peer review and scientists’ nonpartisan intentions to produce sound research, when discussing current affairs with friends and family.

All of us can play a role in combating the asymmetric polarization of science.

Matthew Motta , an assistant professor of health law, policy, and management at Boston University’s School of Public Health, can be reached at [email protected] . His book, Anti-Scientific Americans: The Prevalence, Origins, and Political Consequences of Anti-Intellectualism in the United States , is to be published by Oxford University Press in September.

“POV” is an opinion page that provides timely commentaries from students, faculty, and staff on a variety of issues: on-campus, local, state, national, or international. Anyone interested in submitting a piece, which should be about 700 words long, should contact John O’Rourke at [email protected] . BU Today reserves the right to reject or edit submissions. The views expressed are solely those of the author and are not intended to represent the views of Boston University.

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Matthew Motta, assistant professor of health law, policy, and management at Boston University’s School of Public Health, can be reached at [email protected]. His book, Anti-Scientific Americans: The Prevalence, Origins, and Political Consequences of Anti-Intellectualism in the United States, is to be published by Oxford University Press in September.

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What is happening to US higher education?

by Olivia Robertson, Vanderbilt University

Recent technological advancements and new players have shaken up various industries, like entertainment and transportation. Now, these same changes are affecting higher education in America. New research out of Vanderbilt Business uses Layton's marketing systems theory to understand the disruptions of the academic system.

The article , "United States Education Structure is Under Stress: Exploring the Destabilization of Academia's System Settings," published in the Journal of Macromarketing , emphasizes that while education leaders don't directly control these changes, their decisions can impact the outcomes and structure of the U.S. higher education system.

Co-authored by Jen Riley, Morgan M. Bryant, Kate Nicewicz-Scott, Amy Watson, and Tiffanie Turner-Henderson, the study aims to analyze how the U.S. higher education system deals with these disruptions. The authors discuss three primary power shifts influencing how education is marketed and provide a reference for academic leaders to make decisions and take action in response to these changes.

"Our work critically examines these shifts by intertwining historical perspectives with the demands of today's evolving landscape, emphasizing the need for transformative change within higher education," says Riley.

What is Layton's theory of marketing systems?

Layton's theory of marketing systems is a framework that looks at how changes in power, technology, or societal values act as catalysts, sparking a series of events in a system. This system involves the exchange of goods, services, or ideas. Once a catalyst occurs, opportunities and threats arise, and people or institutions respond based on self-interest, mutuality, and morality. The outcome is a transformation of the marketing system, affecting offerings and how it contributes to the community's well-being. Layton emphasizes adapting to these changes to remain relevant and influential.

The authors discuss how the American Industrial Revolution was the "technological shock" that led to the transformation of higher education into what it is today. At the turn of the 20th century, many prominent American universities were established, focusing on applying science to industry needs.

Now, higher education faces another revolution marked by technological, economic, and cultural changes. These shifts question the value of the exchange between society and U.S. higher education, leading to power shifts in various aspects. This tension pushes for a change in the types of educational offerings, causing traditional institutions and degrees to lose perceived and actual value.

"To remain relevant, higher education must evolve and adjust program offerings to fit current market needs," says Riley. "Failure to evolve may lead to declining relevance and influence as society seeks greater value elsewhere."

What are the governance and political influences on higher education in the United States?

Recent scandals like the "Varsity Blues' and partisan politics have eroded trust in college leadership with increased political influence over universities. This influence is exemplified by instances like former Senator Ben Sasse becoming president of the University of Florida amid protests.

Political appointments in university boards have risen, and students' contributions to university budgets have doubled in the past 40 years. Yet, despite reduced allocations, states maintain significant influence. Recent legislative actions target tenure, DEI initiatives, and expenditures. Supreme Court rulings have favored conservative positions, impacting affirmative action and race-conscious admissions, prompting calls to end similar programs at institutions.

Does accreditation matter in the US higher education system?

Accreditation signals quality and legitimacy, particularly the AACSB designation for business schools. Maintaining this accreditation focuses heavily on faculty research, creating a disconnect with student-centric objectives. While being a great researcher doesn't necessarily correlate with practical teaching, there is value in the research-teaching nexus, especially in experiential learning .

However, institutional emphasis on research poses challenges. Public distrust in scientists has increased, impacting the perceived value of inflated tuition funding scientific research, and critics argue that research doesn't necessarily benefit student learning, especially when faculty are juggling teaching priorities for paying students with expectations for research productivity.

"The current structure creates a tension between resource allocation and student success," the authors write. "Considering the looming threat of a decline in prospective students due to a shrinking population, it is crucial to prioritize student outcomes and retention."

How does macromarketing impact the desire for higher education in the United States?

Prior research indicates one macromarketing (big-picture, economic, and societal) effect of a successful higher education marketing system is the evidence of community quality improvement. However, Americans have lost confidence in the economic benefit of higher education, questioning its payoff, affordability, and access.

Recent studies indicate a declining enthusiasm for college among Gen Z, with 50% believing a college degree is unnecessary. With the national birth rate decline since the 1960s posing challenges, there aren't enough young workers to replace retiring Baby Boomers, threatening the historically counter-cyclical nature of the economy and demand for education. And, despite a growing need for skilled workers, many Americans feel that colleges and universities are not adequately preparing graduates for the workforce.

How has competition, especially technological, affected U.S. higher education?

Google, a key player in digital marketing, introduced Career Certificates as an affordable alternative to traditional degrees, making education more widely accessible. Google partnered with universities, shifting classroom responsibilities to external entities. By collaborating with universities, Google is a curriculum provider that bridges the gap between professors' expertise and current industry practices. This partnership shifts traditional classroom responsibilities from professors to external, for-profit entities.

Google's approach, outlined in the company's marketing materials, encourages faculty to provide "wraparound support" to a curriculum they did not participate in creating or delivering. Similar models are adopted by other companies like Ziplines Education, formerly GreenFig, which partners with prestigious institutions to support or replace traditional education.

Guild Education, a for-profit company, brokers employer-sponsored education benefits, directing millions of adult learners to selected programs. Industry leaders like Bloomberg and Salesforce offer branded certificates, emphasizing skills over degrees. Guild Education's influence as a power player in education is significant, directing millions of credit hours.

Despite its limited partnership with less than 1% of 4-year degree-granting institutions, it manages tens of millions of credit hours, establishing itself as a significant educational power player. Its focus on employer-sponsored adult learners positions Guild Education as a disruptive force. In turn, many companies, including Google, no longer require degrees for all hiring, focusing on skills and experience, further emphasizing the significance of Guild Education and similar opportunities.

The shift toward skills-based hiring and technology implementation in education is reshaping the value and demands of higher education. In addition to the presentation of one's skills via certificate becoming more prominent and desirable, the pandemic accelerated the shift to online learning, emphasizing the need for educators to adapt to modern tools and experiential teaching methods. Additionally, COVID-19, leading to the switch to online learning, strengthened theories that traditional classroom learning environments were no longer sufficient, leading universities to show how they can provide value to in-person students, especially given the high price tag of higher education .

How do Layton's model and industry shifts affect higher education?

The described changes place a significant responsibility on academia to make informed and strategic choices to stay relevant. Layton's model emphasizes the need for adaptation, showcasing the unidirectional nature of the system setting arrow.

Implementing simulations and modern technology may divide instructors, requiring a critical examination of traditional market system structures. Proposing innovative models that optimize self-interest, mutuality, and morality could make traditional institutions more adaptable. The suggestion of collaboration between professors and industry leaders could bridge the knowledge gap and decrease university overhead.

"This manuscript underscores the urgency for academia to evolve and address current challenges in a meaningful way," says Riley.

Provided by Vanderbilt University

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Hidden serial numbers for guns, dietary supplements among CC Science Symposium topics

Clandestine serial numbers, cloning an enzyme for a potential future dietary supplement and the health of rural versus urban streams for aquatic invertebrates were among topics covered Wednesday at the 10th annual Columbia College Science Symposium.

Students filled Brouder Science Center with posters representing their research, explaining it to the dozens of visitors who approached.

More than 50 student research projects were represented.

Nicholas Pouk, a senior in forensic science and biology from St. Peters, was receiving a lot of attention for his project, "Using carbon dot nanocomposites towards a clandestine serial number stamping method."

Carbon dots are a biological marker that can be melted into a type of plastic and applied to items to be marked, Pouk explained.

He envisions it being used to serial numbers on firearms that aren't visible without using a specific wavelength of ultraviolet light.

Law enforcement can be supplied with the location on the firearm of the serial number and the wavelength needed to view it, he said.

It can be used as an anti-counterfeit method for bank notes, he said.

"It's also cheap and simple," Pouk said, noting another benefit.

He has a job lined up after graduation as a necropsy technician with Alta Sciences in Columbia.

Kristin Kelly, A Columbia senior in biology did her research on cloning malate dehygrogenase.

"It's an important enzyme," Kelly said.

The protein that results could be used as a dietary supplement, she said.

"It's kind of like a vitamin," she said.

She's' enrolled in the biomedical sciences master's degree program at the University of Missouri, where she will study the immune system's effects on cardiac performance after a heart attack.

Her research won the symposium's Top Research Proposal award.

Nick Grabner, an Asland senior in biology, won the Department of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science Award. He also was the keynote speaker at the symposium.

His researched looked at the health of invertebrates and water quality in urban and rural streams.

The urban stream is Flat Branch Creek in downtown Columbia and the rural stream is Turkey Creek, between Columbia and Ashland, one of the creeks in the Three Creeks Conservation Area .

Water quality was better in Turkey Creek, based on measures including oxygen and Ph levels.

"Alkalinity was high and it had lower phosphates," Grabner said of Turkey Creek.

The invertebrate information was inconclusive, he said. There were more invertebrates in Flat Branch Creek, but a bigger variety in Turkey Creek.

Adrienne Mason, a senior in forensic chemistry from Searcy, Arkansas, presented her research on the reliability of eyewitness evidence.

It has been established previously that eyewitness evidence is not at all reliable and has resulted in many wrongful convictions, Mason said. Groups like The Innocence Project has worked to reverse many convictions using DNA evidence.

In her research, she staged a disruption in a classroom. A woman entered the room and loudly chastised the instructor for not meeting deadlines, then left.

"They overall did best on hair color," Mason said. "They scored lower on height and clothing."

There were 25 students in the class, but two were eliminated. One declined to participate and the other knew the intruder personally.

"This field needs more research," Mason said.

Columbia College biology professor Brad Sharf said the symposium is a good opportunity for students to present their research to a wide audience.

"It gives the student the ability to present their data," Sharf said. "It's something that's really important in the science field."

Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at [email protected] or 573-815-1719. He's on X at @rmckinney9.

Read our research on: Gun Policy | International Conflict | Election 2024

Regions & Countries

About half of americans say public k-12 education is going in the wrong direction.

About half of U.S. adults (51%) say the country’s public K-12 education system is generally going in the wrong direction. A far smaller share (16%) say it’s going in the right direction, and about a third (32%) are not sure, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in November 2023.

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to understand how Americans view the K-12 public education system. We surveyed 5,029 U.S. adults from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16, 2023.

The survey was conducted by Ipsos for Pew Research Center on the Ipsos KnowledgePanel Omnibus. The KnowledgePanel is a probability-based web panel recruited primarily through national, random sampling of residential addresses. The survey is weighted by gender, age, race, ethnicity, education, income and other categories.

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

A majority of those who say it’s headed in the wrong direction say a major reason is that schools are not spending enough time on core academic subjects.

These findings come amid debates about what is taught in schools , as well as concerns about school budget cuts and students falling behind academically.

Related: Race and LGBTQ Issues in K-12 Schools

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say the public K-12 education system is going in the wrong direction. About two-thirds of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (65%) say this, compared with 40% of Democrats and Democratic leaners. In turn, 23% of Democrats and 10% of Republicans say it’s headed in the right direction.

Among Republicans, conservatives are the most likely to say public education is headed in the wrong direction: 75% say this, compared with 52% of moderate or liberal Republicans. There are no significant differences among Democrats by ideology.

Similar shares of K-12 parents and adults who don’t have a child in K-12 schools say the system is going in the wrong direction.

A separate Center survey of public K-12 teachers found that 82% think the overall state of public K-12 education has gotten worse in the past five years. And many teachers are pessimistic about the future.

Related: What’s It Like To Be A Teacher in America Today?

Why do Americans think public K-12 education is going in the wrong direction?

We asked adults who say the public education system is going in the wrong direction why that might be. About half or more say the following are major reasons:

• Schools not spending enough time on core academic subjects, like reading, math, science and social studies (69%)
• Teachers bringing their personal political and social views into the classroom (54%)
• Schools not having the funding and resources they need (52%)

About a quarter (26%) say a major reason is that parents have too much influence in decisions about what schools are teaching.

How views vary by party

Americans in each party point to different reasons why public education is headed in the wrong direction.

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say major reasons are:

• A lack of focus on core academic subjects (79% vs. 55%)
• Teachers bringing their personal views into the classroom (76% vs. 23%)

In turn, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to point to:

• Insufficient school funding and resources (78% vs. 33%)
• Parents having too much say in what schools are teaching (46% vs. 13%)

Views also vary within each party by ideology.

Among Republicans, conservatives are particularly likely to cite a lack of focus on core academic subjects and teachers bringing their personal views into the classroom.

Among Democrats, liberals are especially likely to cite schools lacking resources and parents having too much say in the curriculum.

Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and the survey methodology .

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .