A Study of PhD Programs in Political Science, and the Future of Political Theory

• In Event: Institutional Research on PS Majors & PhD Students & Curricular Evaluations of Research Methods

Abstract

Isaiah Berlin began his seminal work, “Does Political Theory Still Exist?” by considering the existential status of political theory. He questioned whether political theory was alive and well, or whether his colleagues were correct in suggesting that political theory was dead or dying. Berlin argued that, from an intellectual perspective, political theory cannot die. Yet the status of political theory as a subfield in our discipline may be institutionally insecure. In this paper, I examine political science doctoral programs to evaluate whether political theory’s future is stable, or existentially uncertain. I consider whether each PhD-granting department offers doctoral students the opportunity to concentrate on political theory as a major or minor subfield of study. I likewise consider whether doctoral students are required to complete political theory coursework, regardless of their fields of study. I compare political theory’s status in doctoral programs with both substantive (e.g., American politics, comparative politics, international relations, etc.) and methodological fields of study, and find that political theory has a uniquely tenuous future. I conclude by calling, without compromise, to preserve political theory as a field of study equal to our empirical subfields.

Author

• Matthew Stein, College of Southern Nevada- Social Sciences