 SCOPE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

It’s scope includes study of the state and the study of political systems; covering the study of government, study of power; study of man and
his political behavior and study or political issues which influence politics directly or indirectly.

SCOPE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

 Study of State and Government
 Study of Association and Institutions
 Study of National and International Problems
 Study of Political Behavior of Man
 Study of the Past, Present and Future Development
 Study of the concepts of Power, Authority & Influence

Study of State and Government

Both terms refer to entities involved in the administration of a country.
• Study of state and government it deals with the nature and formation of the state and tries to understand various forms and functions of the
government. Territory, Population, Sovereignty and Government are elements of state while Legislative, Executive, Judicial and Service
provision are some key features and functions of a Government.

Study of Association and Institutions

ASSOCIATION-refers to and organized group of people having definite aim.

Example :political parties

INSTITUTIONS-established organizations in society that are built around specific purposes, functions or objectives. They provide structure and
stability to social, economic, political and cultural systems.
Examples include the Schools, Government, Agencies, Banks and Religious establishments.

Study of National and International Problems

Study of national and international problems modern demands of defense of territory, representative government and national unity have
made political science not only the science of political independence but that of state sovereignty also. Education, Jobs, Health Care, Terrorism are
example of National and International issues.

Study of Political Behavior of Man

Study of political behavior of man-it may be said that the character of political science in all it’s parts is determined by it’s basic pre-
supposition regarding man. Theories of political behavior, as an aspect of political science, attempt to quantify and explain the influences that define
a person’s political views, ideology, and levels of politic participation, Political behavior is the subject human behavior that involves politics and
power. Democracy Philippines. Example :act of voting

Study of Past, Present and Future Development

Study of the past, present and future of development-political science attempts to explain the meaning and the essential nature of the state
and deals with the laws of it’s progress and development within itself and in relation to international organizations and other states.

Study of the concepts of Power, Authority & Influence

Study of the concepts of power, authority & influence-with the behavioral revolution the central topic for study has become the study of
power. Consequently the scope has widened to include new aspects like political socialization, political culture, political development and informal
structures like interest and pressure groups.

CONCLUSIONS
Political Science is concerned with all facets of power relations and human behavior having political implications in the society. With the
passage of time, the scope of political science keeps on changing. Now political science covers a comprehensive field and it has become dynamic in
character. Political Science deals with easy relation to their past and present and also focuses upon the probable development in the future.

 PUBLIC LAW
-Public law is the part of that governs relations between legal persons and a government between different institutions within a state, between
different branches of governments, as well as relationships between person’s that are of direct concern to society.

Example of Public Law

-Constitutional Law
-Administrative Law
-Criminal Law
-International Law
-Tax Law

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
-Public administration is a field in which leaders serves communities to advice the common good and effect possible change.
-Public administration professionals are equipped with skills to manage at all levels of governed (local, state and federal)as well as nonprofit
organizations.
-Public administration includes “Legislative activities, taxation, national defense, public order and safety, immigration services, foreign affairs and
international assistance are activities that are purely governmental in nature.

POLITICAL SCIENCE
-Political Science is the scientific study of politics which is a social science dealing with the analysis and implementation of systems of governance
and it’s impact on societies.
-This includes study of the processes of government, example is “how a bill becomes a law”
-Since political science is concerned with the study of the global political economy, it has links to other social sciences like, history,sociolor,
philosophy, and psychology.
 SOURCES AND TYPE OF KNOWLEDGE

SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE
1.Experience
2.Authority
3.Deductive Reasoning
4.Inductive Reasoning
5.Scientific Approach

EXPERIENCE
 Experience is a familiar and well-used source of knowledge.
 By personal experience, you can find the answers to many of question you face
 In fact, this ability to learn from experience is a prime characteristics of intelligent behavior.

AUTHORITY
 Refers to the legal and formal right to give commands and make decisions.
 Seek knowledge from someone who has had experience with the problem or has some other source of expertise.

DEDUCTIVE REASONING
 A thinking process in which one proceeds from general to specific knowledge through logical argument.
 Deductive reasoning is useful in research because it provides a way to link theory and observation.

INDUCTIVE REASONING
 Inductive reasoning is the reverse of the deductive method.
 An investigator should establish general conclusions on the basis of facts gathered through direct observation.

SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
 Inductive-deductive method
 Uses hypotheses
 Gathers empirical data
 On the base of the evidence, they accept or reject the hypotheses
 A hypothesis is a statement describing relationships among variables that is tentatively assumed to be true.
 It identifies observations to be made to investigate a question.
 Testing hypothesis by making deductive from it and gathering additional data to determine whether these data would support the
hypothesis. From this method of inquiry. Darwin was able to develop his theory of evolution. This use of both inductive and deductive
reasoning is characteristic of modern scientific inquiry.

TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE
1. Explicit knowledge
2. Implicit knowledge
3. Tacit knowledge
4. Procedural knowledge
5. Declarative knowledge
6. A Posteriori knowledge
7. A Priori knowledge

EXPLICIT KNOWLEDGE
 Explicit knowledge is knowledge covering topic that easy to systematically document (in writing), and share out at scale: what we think of
as structured information.
 When explicit knowledge is well-managed, it can help a company make better decisions, save time, and maintain an increase in
performance.

IMPLICIT KNOWLEDGE
 Implicit knowledge is, essentially, learned skills or know-how. It is gained by taking explicit knowledge and applying it to a specific
situation.
 Implicit knowledge is gained when you learn the best way to do something.

TACIT KNOWLEDGE
 Tacit knowledge refers to the knowledge, skill, and abilities an individual gains through experience that is often difficult to put into words
or other wise communicate.

PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE
 Procedural knowledge can be simply stated as knowing how to do something.
 It is defined as the knowledge attained by practicing or exercising a task or a skill.
 It is also called practical knowledge, imperative knowledge, or task knowledge.
 DECLARATIVE KNOWLEDGE
 Declarative knowledge refers to facts or information stored in the memory that is considered static in nature.

A POSTERIORI KNOWLEDGE
 In Latin posteriori means “from the latter”, is a term from logic, which usually refers to reasoning that works backward from an effect to its
causes.
 A posteriori knowledge is a subjective type of knowledge that is gained from individual experience.
A PRIORI KNOWLEDGE
 In Latin a prior means “what comes first”.
 A priori knowledge is not based on experience.
 A priori knowledge is knowledge that exists in the mind before any experience with or observation of the physical world.

 IMPLICATION FOR SOCIAL WORKS

So what is social work?

Social work is a profession in which trained professionals are devoted to helping vulnerable people and communities work through challenges they
face in everyday life.

Where did the word social work originated?

Professional social work originated in 19th century England, and had its roots in the social and economic upheaval wrought by the Industrial
Revolution, in particular, the societal struggle to deal with the resultant mass urban-based poverty and its related problems.

The social work profession[5] developed in the 19th century, with some of its roots in voluntary philanthropy and in grassroots organizing.[6]

What is the first rule of social work?

Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.
Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity.

The core values of social work include

 compassionate service to others
 fostering dignity for all individuals
 social justice
 promoting stronger human relationships

The core values alone show the importance of social work today as the values social workers promote impact individuals, communities and society.

You will learn how to make a positive impact

Social Work is all about understanding and striving to improve the lives of people in society.
Social Workers listen to people’s needs, from young children to people struggling with addictions, and help them to cope and improve their quality
of life.
Service. The primary goal of social workers is exemplary public service through helping needy people address, manage and resolve various social
problems. Social workers must always elevate public service above self-interest and personal gain.

Types of Social Workers

The social worker role falls into a variety of categories. Some social workers occupy a more general role and others work with specific groups of
individuals to provide support and coping strategies.

The following are the primary types of social work practice.

Child and Family Social Worker Role Child welfare social workers aim to strengthen family units and provide support to children and families.
These social workers sometimes intervene to protect children from physical or emotional harm or neglect.

School Social Worker Role School social workers are an essential link between students, schools and the family. The social worker’s responsibility at
school involves providing leadership, mental health support, clarity around school discipline and other services.

Health Care Social Worker Role Health care social workers play a critical role in improving the physical and mental health of American citizens,
especially vulnerable populations. They are often involved at a policy-level to solve biopsychosocial issues that contribute to poor health.
Mental Health and Substance Use Social Worker Role Social workers that deal with mental health as addiction can fall under the broad category of
clinical social work (CSW) and help with the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental health issues and other behavioral disorders.

Gerontology Social Worker Role Social workers assist a growing number of seniors ages 65 plus that needs support in America. These social
workers are essential as the aging Baby Boomers occupy a large fraction of the American population.

Ethnicity and Race Social Worker Role Social workers are committed to ending racism and eradicating discrimination and prejudice. Ethnicity and
race social workers use action programs to address equity issues. These social workers are trained in addressing trauma and prioritize listening to the
experiences and needs of communities.

LGBTQ Social Worker Role Social workers that focus on the rights and wellbeing of the LGBT community support lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender people of all races and ethnicities, all ages, all faiths and socioeconomic statuses through social justice and inclusion programs. On a
macro level, social workers fight for laws, policies and programs that support and value the rights of LGBT individuals, families and communities.

Implications for Social Work

The effects of COVID - have impacted many aspects of our lives and professions. Many students in the survey noted how COVID-19 is changing the
current profession of social work and will change the social work profession in the future.

Access to High Speed Internet: In our current state of living the pandemic has forced many professions to work from home based on physical
distancing guidelines from our places of work and the government. This has meant that there have been many changes in how social workers work
with clients and work in their jobs, having internet at home is sometimes vital to be able to do our jobs. 62% of our respondents felt that it was a
strength while 11% felt It was a challenge.
Mental health: Currently there are a lot of people who are in mental health crisis because of the pandemic. Not only is this in the present but there
will be many effects on people’s mental health after the pandemic. A person’s mental health can deeply impact social work through the way they are
showing up and being present with clients or being able to focus on completing a task. 48% of students said mental health was a strength and
challenge. 11% of students said mental health was a strength. Lastly, 38% of students said mental health was a challenge.

“Essential employee” Status: This status deems people as necessary to physically go into their jobs and effects certain social workers. Given the
current state there is a possibility that this could change the profession to being more remote if necessary or more social work positions being deemed
as ‘essential”.

 THE WAYS OF KNOWING

 Essentially, the Ways of Knowing are trying to answer the question “How do we know what we know”
 All knowledge comes from somewhere.
 Even if we say it is innate (comes from within us) we still have to say how that knowledge appears.

There are eight different ways of knowing:

 Language
 Sense perception
 Emotion
 Reason
 Imagination
 Faith
 Intuition
 Memory

LANGUAGE
 Language is defined as a system of signs with meanings.
 Language refer to the mental faculty which allows people to learn and use complex communication systems.
 Language is everywhere, some aspects of it may even be universal.
 Language is full of potential problems.
 The main thing you should take from this way of knowing is that we can’t function as a society without it, but that there are flaws to it.

SENSE PERCEPTION
 Sense perception is all about how we experience the world around us, using our senses.
 Sense perception is the process by which we can gain knowledge about the outside world.
 Traditionally these people have thought that we only have five senses:
• Touch
• Taste
• Smell
• Hearing
• Sight
• However, as time has passed more and more senses have been suggested.
• Other senses that is has been claimed that people have included the sense of heat, sense of pain, sense of movement, sense of balance, sense
of hunger and sense of thirst.

EMOTION
 Emotion is a method of understanding behaviors, feelings, and thoughts.
 There are two important views of emotion.
 Naturalistic view of emotion
 Social constructionists
 Naturalistic view of emotion tells us that emotion is a result of our physical bodies, with physical causes and effects. Charles Darwin was
one supporter of this view. One interesting implication of the naturalistic view is that emotions are seen as universal and experienced across
cultures.
 The opposite view to this is that of social constructionists. These guys argue that emotions are socially constructed. This would mean that
emotions come from our social environment.

REASON
 Reason allows us to form knowledge without relying on our senses.
 Reason as a way of knowing denotes constructing meaning by modifying and justifying ideas and beliefs based on new or existing
information.
1. Deductive reasoning is a thinking process in which one proceeds from general to specific knowledge through logical argument.
2. Inductive reasoning is the reverse of the deductive method.

IMAGINATION
 Imagination conveys truths that reality hides and stimulate us to create new knowledge.
 Many scientific discoveries would not have been made without imagination.
 Problem solving is often the result of creative imagination as well.
 Imagination is often respected as a part of creativity, problem solving and originality. However, imagination is also distrusted since it is
highly subjective.

FAITH
 When you’re talking about faith, one effective approach is to discuss what faith means.
 This is effective because many people have an idea of faith that is actually only one way of defining the idea, when there are many to
choose from.
INTUITION
 Intuition is having an immediate sense of knowing, without any prior thinking.
 When we use our intuition, we are relying on our guts, our emotions, and our instincts to guide us.

MEMORY
 One way of defining memory is as the faculty which allows us to retain information and reconstruct past experience.
 Memory is simply the recollection of things we already know.
 It is an integral part of human cognition, since it allows individuals to recall and draw upon past events to frame their understanding of and
behavior within the present.