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Advanced modern political theory, as such, apart from its academic branches and sub-branches, is likely to develop Political Science both as a discipline and a profession in several new directions:
1. Science of Political Values:
It will study political values, their impact upon various collectivities, and methods to enact them.
2. Pedagogical Political Science:
It will involve study, teaching, teaching methods, and research. Another cadre could be tutors, demonstrators and tellers.
3. Political Engineering:
It would discuss the principles and making of various models of political structures and processes, and find out the ways and means to repair and mend them. This can be regarded as an applied branch of the discipline which will be able to train and turn out its own consultants, engineers, technicians, doctors, observers, law-makers, repairers etc. They would be able to render or lend their services in various capacities to rulers, administrators, politicians, academicians, scientists, businessmen, and citizens.
4. Training, Evaluation and Anticipation:
This branch will take up the specific task of training various categories of political actors on short-term, long-term, and refresher course basis. It would further involve the multi-perspective and interdisciplinary work of assessing or evaluating the form, nature and effectively of various structures and their working procedures.
For example, the form of parliamentary system as adopted in India or suitability of various Panchayati Raj models can be tested and evaluated. Anticipation involves scientific prediction to make the persons concerned aware of the possible consequences. Surely, it may lead to building up various Utopias, and engage scholars in finding out various alternatives.
5. Power-Political Science:
It would work in the field in close collaboration with the field worker or political actor and the political scientist on the pattern of ‘Chanakya-Chandragupta’ model. The scholars working in the third branch, mentioned supra, operate in a value neutral manner. Here they would be aligned with the activists and frankly act as ideologues, propagandists, and value-supporters.
The political actors wield power and authority, and exercise them to achieve their own ends, whereas their counter parts would help and guide them as staff agencies, sometimes acting and working for them. Both of them can suitably change or exchange their roles. In both cases considerations of power and authority remain the uppermost. Power-holders and activists can further be classified for specific purposes, such as, party organisers, policy-makers, mediators, orators, fund-gatherers, etc.
6. Research Division:
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It would concentrate on research activities, research methods, tools and techniques suitable for the study of politics, political structures, processes, motivations, behaviour, etc. It can undertake the job of preparing researchers, surveyors and other field workers whose services can be hired for specific purposes. Surely, they would not become part of any military or civil establishment which do have their own separate cells. Research work may go along with teaching or be kept separate.
7. Interdisciplinary Intelligence:
It would be particularly diverted to the search for material, knowledge, theories, tools and techniques useful for the growth and efficacy of the discipline. In order to remake it an ‘architectonic’ or ‘master’ science, perhaps the undertaking of this venture is unavoidable, though it would entail the problems of coordination. This would fill in the gap between study of politics and other works done in natural sciences, technology, humanities and social sciences.
Besides the above, the discipline can sprout in many other directions. The above mentioned classification is merely suggestive and the list is not exhaustive. So far, scholars of Political Science appear to have been working under the second branch. However, all of them can be put under some specific category, and their works studied accordingly. A few of them can belong to more than one branch. In any case, the classification would make the discipline more life-oriented, and realise the goals of knowledge.
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The world of politics always moves far ahead whereas the subject lags behind. Therefore, the discipline should come up with its general theory before it is too late. There is no escape or choice except to build up its own advanced modern political theory. Whatever be the cost, it cannot be greater than survival of mankind or progress of the Third World at par with the developed countries.
Some scholars have assessed the intellectual challenges to conventional political theory, such as post-structuralism and the scientific study of politics that have revitalised the field in the last 30 years. They also broadened the perspective to take in non-western ideas and to reconceptualise political theory in the light of specifically global challenges.