50 Political Science Research Topics
A list of research ideas across major subfields, plus a guide to choosing and developing your research question.
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Political Science: A Guide to Research Topics
A political science research topic is a specific question about power, governance, and political behavior, examined through data and theory. For students, choosing a topic is the essential first step in analyzing the political world.
My first international relations professor explained that “the cause of wars” has been debated for centuries. The scope of the field felt overwhelming. The task is not finding a subject, but narrowing the complexity of politics into one researchable question. This guide is built to help you do just that.
How to Select a Political Science Topic
A great topic is focused, relevant, and allows for original analysis.
Identify Your Subfield and Interests
Political science is a broad discipline. Identify which subfield interests you most:
- Comparative Politics: Comparing political systems across different countries.
- International Relations: The study of how states interact.
- Political Theory/Philosophy: The study of concepts like justice, liberty, and power.
- National Politics: The study of a single country’s political system.
- Public Policy & Administration: The analysis of how governments create and implement policies.
Focusing on a subfield makes the search for a topic more manageable.
Find a Puzzle or a Debate
The best research questions arise from puzzles. Why do some democracies have higher voter turnout than others? Look for debates in scholarly literature. When scholars disagree, that’s fertile ground for a research paper where you can evaluate their claims and contribute your own conclusion.
Scope Your Question Narrowly
A topic that’s too broad is destined to fail. “The effects of globalization” is not a research topic. A strong topic is specific:
- Broad: How does foreign aid affect democracy?
- Narrower: Does US democracy promotion aid increase civil liberties?
- Focused Research Topic: What was the effect of USAID funding on electoral fairness in Kenya and Uganda between 2010 and 2020?
This specificity makes your research feasible and your argument precise.
Ensure Data and Source Availability
Political science is an empirical discipline. Before committing to a topic, verify that you can get the data to answer your question. This could be quantitative data from sources like the World Bank, or qualitative data from interviews or case studies. A fascinating question is useless if the evidence to answer it is inaccessible.
Consult the Literature
A literature review shows you understand existing research on your topic. It allows you to position your unique contribution. A USC Libraries guide explains that a good literature review is an argument about the state of the field that sets up your own research.
Core Concepts in Political Science
These foundational ideas are the building blocks of all political analysis.
Political Power
At its heart, political science is the study of power. Power is the ability of one actor to get another actor to do something it would not otherwise have done. This can be achieved through coercion (force), influence (persuasion), or authority (legitimacy). Understanding the different forms of power and how they are distributed in a society is fundamental to any political analysis.
The State
The state is the primary unit of analysis in political science. A state is a political organization that maintains a monopoly on the legitimate use of force within a defined territory. Key attributes of a state include sovereignty, a government, a population, and territory. Debates around the state often focus on its origins, its functions, and its relationship with society.
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the principle of absolute and unlimited power. A sovereign state is one that is free from external control. In the modern era, the concept of sovereignty has been challenged by globalization, international law, and the rise of non-state actors like multinational corporations and terrorist groups. Analyzing the changing nature of sovereignty is a major topic in international relations.
Political Institutions: The Rules of the Game
Institutions are the formal and informal rules that structure political life.
Legislatures
Legislatures (like a parliament or congress) are the law-making bodies of a state. Their structure can be unicameral (one chamber) or bicameral (two chambers). Political scientists study how the rules and norms within legislatures affect the laws they produce and their ability to check the power of the executive branch.
The Executive
The executive branch is responsible for implementing and enforcing laws. This branch is led by a head of government (like a Prime Minister) and a head of state (like a President or monarch). The relationship between the executive and legislative branches defines whether a system is presidential, parliamentary, or semi-presidential.
The Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets the law and resolves disputes. A key concept related to the judiciary is judicial independence—the idea that judges should be impartial and not subject to political pressure. The power of judicial review, where courts can strike down laws as unconstitutional, is a major feature of many modern democracies.
Political Behavior: Actors and Motivations
This subfield examines why individuals and groups act the way they do in the political arena.
Voting and Elections
Why do people vote the way they do? Political scientists study factors like party identification, candidate characteristics, and economic conditions to understand voter behavior. The study of elections also includes how electoral systems and campaign strategies influence outcomes.
Social Movements and Protest
When and why do people engage in collective action outside of formal institutions? This area of study examines the origins, strategies, and impacts of social movements, from the Civil Rights Movement to modern environmental activism. Key questions include how movements mobilize resources and frame their issues to gain public support.
Interest Groups and Lobbying
Interest groups are organizations that seek to influence public policy on behalf of their members. They play a key role in representing specific interests (like business, labor, or environmental groups) in the political process through lobbying, campaign donations, and public awareness campaigns. The study of interest groups often focuses on their influence relative to ordinary citizens.
50 Political Science Research Topics
Use this list to generate ideas. Refine these topics to match your interests.
Comparative Politics
- Explaining the rise of populist-right parties in Western Europe: A comparison of France and Germany.
- The impact of electoral system design on party system stability in new democracies.
- Why do some authoritarian regimes transition to democracy while others persist? A case study of South Korea vs. China.
- The role of civil society organizations in promoting government accountability in Latin America.
- Analyzing the effectiveness of federalism in managing ethnic conflict: A comparison of India and Nigeria.
- The political consequences of deindustrialization in the American Rust Belt versus the UK’s North.
- How do different welfare state models impact income inequality?
- The effect of judicial independence on the protection of minority rights in Eastern Europe.
- Explaining varying levels of corruption in post-Soviet states.
- The impact of the “resource curse” on democratic development in sub-Saharan Africa.
International Relations
- The effectiveness of international sanctions as a tool of foreign policy: The case of Iran.
- Is the rise of China a threat to the liberal international order?
- The role of NGOs in shaping international environmental agreements. A 2025 study in the Athens Journal of Politics discusses NGO influence.
- Explaining the success and failure of UN peacekeeping missions: A comparison of Sierra Leone and Rwanda.
- The impact of drone warfare on the norms of armed conflict.
- Neorealism vs. Liberal Institutionalism: Which theory better explains NATO’s post-Cold War expansion?
- The politics of global health governance: Analyzing the WHO’s response to pandemics.
- Cyber warfare as a new domain of international conflict.
- The role of regional organizations (like ASEAN) in conflict management.
- Analyzing the causes and consequences of state failure in the Middle East.
Political Theory & Philosophy
- A critique of John Rawls’ “veil of ignorance” as a foundation for justice.
- Reconciling individual liberty and collective security in the age of terrorism.
- Machiavelli’s “The Prince”: A guide for tyrants or a realist analysis of power?
- The meaning of “sovereignty” in an era of globalization.
- A feminist critique of traditional social contract theorists.
- The ethics of open borders: A debate between cosmopolitanism and communitarianism.
- Plato’s concept of the “philosopher king”: Is expertise undemocratic?
- The justification for civil disobedience in a liberal democracy.
- Analyzing Marx’s theory of alienation in the 21st-century gig economy.
- The tension between free speech and hate speech: A philosophical and legal analysis.
American (or other National) Politics
- The rise of political polarization in Congress and its effect on legislative productivity.
- The impact of the Citizens United decision on campaign finance.
- Analyzing changing demographics of the electorate and its impact on the two-party system.
- The media’s role in shaping public opinion. A study in PNAS explores how social media can amplify expressions of moral outrage.
- The politics of judicial appointments and the politicization of the Supreme Court.
- The effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the consequences of its modifications.
- Explaining the persistence of the Electoral College.
- The role of interest groups and lobbying in the policymaking process.
- The growth of presidential power and the erosion of congressional oversight.
- State-level policy innovation as “laboratories of democracy.”
Public Policy & Administration
- Evaluating the effectiveness of charter schools versus traditional public schools.
- The politics of climate change policy: Why has the US failed to pass comprehensive climate legislation?
- A cost-benefit analysis of criminal justice reform policies.
- The challenges of healthcare policy implementation: A case study of the ACA.
- How bureaucratic politics influences foreign policy implementation.
- The effectiveness of different anti-poverty programs.
- The role of policy entrepreneurs in setting the public agenda.
- Analyzing the causes and policy responses to urban gentrification.
- The privatization of public services: An evaluation of its impact on efficiency.
- Comparative immigration policy: Multiculturalism versus assimilation.
From Topic to Thesis: Building Your Argument
Choosing a topic is the first step. The next phase is transforming your question into a structured, evidence-based argument.
Develop a Clear, Debatable Thesis
Your thesis is the central claim of your paper. It must be arguable, not a statement of fact. It is the answer to your research question.
- Research Question: Why did the US invade Iraq in 2003?
- Thesis Statement: “While the Bush administration justified the 2003 invasion of Iraq on WMDs and terrorism, internal documents reveal the primary motivation was reshaping the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape in line with neoconservative ideology.”
Construct a Logical Outline
An outline is the blueprint for your paper, ensuring your argument flows logically. A standard structure includes an introduction, a literature review, body paragraphs with evidence, and a conclusion. This is a vital step before writing.
The transition from an idea to a paper requires careful planning. If you need help structuring your argument, our writers can assist. We are experts at developing philosophy and political science research papers.
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Advance Your Political Inquiry
A well-chosen topic is your entry into scholarly debate. It allows you to analyze power, question assumptions, and build an argument. Use these ideas to start your research, remembering that all academic work must uphold academic integrity.
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