UNIT I: CONCEPTS OF

POLITICS AND
GOVERNANCE

•LESSON 2: HOW POLITICS CAN BE

STUDIED
 HOW IS POLITICS
STUDIED?
• Political Science deals with the systematic study
of political structures, political processes and
political behavior.
• A number of approaches and methods have
been suggested and used by thinkers and
scholars of political science for the scientific
investigation of political phenomena and
for the arrival at systematic
generalizations and theories.
 1. TRADITIONAL
APPROACH
• Traditional approach to the study of political
science is a combination of views on and
orientations to politics in philosophical, ethical
and institutional terms.
• Since the time of Plato and Aristotle, the great
issues of politics have revolved around the
organization and functioning of the state- the
political institution par excellence. Traditional
approaches exhibit certain well defined
features.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
TRADITIONAL
1. APPROACHES:
Traditional approaches are largely normative
and stresses on the values of politics
2. Emphasis is on the study of different political
structures and institution
3. Traditional approaches made very little attempt
to relate theory and research
4. These approaches believe that since facts and
values are closely interlinked, studies in
political Science can never be scientific.
 COMMENT ON
THE
FOLLOWING
PICTURES/IMAG
ES
 FORMS OF
TRADITIONAL
APPROACH
1. Philosophical- This 2. Historical- As the
approach firmly name of this
believes that values approach is related
cannot be separated
from the study of
to history, it
politics and political emphasizes on the
system. Therefore, its study of history of
main concern is to every political
judge what is good or reality to analyze
bad in any political any situation.
society.
 FORMS OF
TRADITIONAL
APPROACH
3. Institutional- This 4. Legal- This
approach is approach is
concerned with the concerned with
study of formal the legal process,
structures and
legal bodies or
institutions like
legislature, institutions,
executive, judiciary, justice and
political parties, etc. independence of
judiciary.
 2. BEHAVIORAL
APPROACH
•The (BEHAVIORALISM)
behavioral approach to political science
mainly emphasizes on scientific, objective and
value free study of political phenomenon.
•This approach stresses upon the use of
empirical as well as scientific methods of study
political behavior.
•This approach shifts its emphasis from the
study of the state and government to the day-
today problems, activities and behavior of
individuals and groups.
 CHARACTERISTICS
OF BEHAVIORALISM:
1. Regularities - 2. Verification -
believes that there emphasizes
are certain
uniformities in
testing and
political behavior verifying
which can be everything.
expressed in According to the
generalizations or behaviorists, what
theories in order to
explain and predict cannot be verified
political phenomena. is not scientific.
 CHARACTERISTICS
OF BEHAVIORALISM:
3. Techniques - put 4. Quantification -
emphasis on the After collecting
use of those data, the
research tools and
researcher
methods which
generate valid, should measure
reliable and and quantify
comparative data. those data.
 CHARACTERISTICS
OF BEHAVIORALISM:
5. Values - 6. Systematization
believe that - research in
Political Science
to do must be
objective systematic.
research one Theory and
has to be research should
go together.
value free.
 CHARACTERISTICS
OF BEHAVIORALISM:
7. Pure Science - 8. Integration -
believes that Political Science
the study of should not be
separated from
Political Science
various other
should be social sciences like
verified by history, sociology
evidence. and economics,
etc.
 ACTIVITY 1
• Compare and Contrast Traditional Approach from Behavioral Approach

Approach in the Study of Politics Definition Characteristic Features

 ACTIVITY 2
•Which Approach is More Effective in
the Philippine Political Context? Why?
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