Seijigaku Genron (Political Science - Methods, Theories and Empirical Analysis)

This book is based on notes compiled for a lecture given for the past twenty years at the Faculty of Law of the University of Tokyo. This lecture has been placed at the beginning of the curriculum and intended to cover all basic concepts and frameworks, which are necessary for empirical analyses to prepare for studying specialized subjects in political science. Political science has been branching into specialized fields for the last decades. When possible, the book encompasses increasingly specialized subjects to approach the entire political science discipline from an integrated perspective. In this regard, this book is exceptional as a textbook. The book focuses primarily on theories and generalized frameworks to cross specialized and divided fields in political science. Because of its organization and focus, the book is not easy for beginners, but it aligns with the purpose of learning how to set and then solve specific questions in political science. Rapidly increased specialization results in the systematic provision of a wealth of knowledge but makes it difficult to understand how political scientists have accumulated knowledge. This book explains in detail the processes of thinking and discussion by political scientists when introducing existing theories and frameworks. All knowledge inevitably becomes outdated. However, one can renew the old knowledge if she can learn how to acquire knowledge for herself.

With this background, the book was written so that it does not need to be read in order from the beginning. Chapters 1 and 18, both focused on methods, are difficult to read. These chapters aim to ensure the understanding of how the political science discipline will develop in the future. Thus, they refer to a wide range of subjects from other chapters. Readers may want to read other chapters (i.e., Chapters 2 to 17) first and then Chapters 1 and 18. Readers can begin to read from any chapter that is related to their interests, because all related subjects are referred to across chapters. The book can also be used at the graduate level when readers are interested in a field outside their specialization, because all chapters are written by citing relevant advanced literature in each field.
 
Politics encompasses disparate, diverse, and multifaceted phenomena from revolutions, wars, and genocides to democratic representation and the pursuit of equality. Analyzing politics requires a profound understanding on human nature as observed in society. In this book, I hope to convey the unfathomable nature of phenomena observed in real politics and to introduce the fascination of political science.
 

(Written by KATO Junko, Professor, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics / 2025)