151+ Political Science Research Topics

What is the first thing you should do when you are handed a political science research assignment? Political science papers can become overly complicated or too shallow to impress your instructor. By carefully going through well-thought-out political science research topics you stand a chance to write an exceptional paper.

In this article, we will highlight several research paper topics for presentation. Additionally, we will offer a simple guide on how to write a political science research paper.

Political science research questions examples

A research question, develops from broad topics to a more focused question. Conducting preliminary research on your proposed topic helps distinguishing what content is already available for it before deciding to write on it.

Here are some tips to craft a good research question:

• Make use of background knowledge
• Navigate from empirical research questions
• Go beyond basic facts
• Have a discussable topic with no single right answer

Here are a few research question examples:

1. What are the elements of a communist country?
2. What are the drawbacks of anarchism?
3. What is the difference between representative and direct democracy?
4. Is a monarchy the same as a dictatorship?
5. What are the elements of a nation under a dictator?
6. What is the influence of social change on politics in your country?
7. What are the elements of a totalitarian government?
8. Where does political power come from in the percolation model?
9. What is comparative politics?
10. Why is political science included in the education system?
11. What is state authority?
12. What is a source of legitimacy?
13. What is politics?
14. What is the difference between presidential and parliamentary democracy?
15. Compare pay amounts among men and women in politics

Political science research paper topics

Political science is one of the most complicated social sciences, but you don’t need to have a difficult time writing one. Here are a few topical ideas:

16. The rise of political awareness by meme culture
17. Corporate lagging due to late-stage capitalism
18. Key figures and events that led to Nazism
19. Discuss the necessity of politics
20. The role of the internet in shaping politics
21. Voter rights versus voter obligations
22. What is the effect of voter failing on politics?
23. What makes communism such an unstable way of economically governing a country?
24. Discuss what the future of the Middle East and the U.S.A look like
25. The correlation of modern politics and civil societies
26. The elements of geopolitics in the 21^st century
27. An account of sovereignty on Jean Bodin’s perspective
28. The causes of the Iran oil conflict
29. Discuss various methods of settling political disputes
30. Differentiate between codes of honor and loyalty oaths
31. Do retired military officials make good politicians?

Comparative politics research questions

A lot of comparison takes place in politics. Here are a hot research topics that may appeal to you:

32. Discuss the difference in educational policies between Australia and the U.S.A
33. A comparative review of female education in Afghanistan
34. The effects of the economic battle between China and the U.S.A
35. A comparative analysis of democratic laboratories on modern federalism
36. The impact of crime-TV on law misinterpretation
37. The comparison of nationalism and other philosophies
38. Regional versus national governance
39. Politics of drawing up and implementing international treaties
40. Models of democracy: a comparative analysis
41. The influence of social media on political discord
42. Classification of political messages conveyed through American commercial films
43. Comparative analysis of electoral systems around the world
44. Does a government reserve the right to bar certain people from a country?
45. Discuss Islamic and Christian influence on government leadership

Political science research topics

Political science is the study of governance systems, policies, and constitutional laws. Here are several available topics for research:

46. The genesis of politics: from ethnic groups to nations
47. How do socialites end up being politicians?
48. Segregation and apartheid in modern America
49. An examination of the fall of the Roman Empire
50. The thin line between distinguishing a dictator and a president
51. Saviors or traitors: political whistleblowers
52. The impact of negotiation on alleviating international conflict
53. The influence of negotiation during wartime
54. Investigating sub-Saharan politics: the politics of poverty
55. Contemporary political virtues: mutual tolerance
56. Methods of strategic planning in fiscal management
57. The impact of privacy laws on commercial exploitation
58. An examination of inequalities in post-conflict justice

Hot Political science research topics

Current events define local and global politics. Applying what you have learned in your political science course on modern trends shows your astuteness as a student. Here are a few ideas to write on:

59. Consumerism in Asia: changing aspects
60. Rising of terrorist activity in West Africa
61. A review of Donald Trump’s proposed impeachment
62. The impact of withdrawal of USA, British, and NATO troops from Afghanistan on international politics
63. Climate change, migration, and politics
64. Is censorship in China tampering with people’s rights
65. Discuss the relevance of adopting an international minimum wage
66. The political implications of publicly discussing abortion
67. The perception of the death penalty among political circles
68. Dark Saudi Arabia: deprived women rights and terrorist ideologies
69. The next minority president of the U.S.A

 Political science essay topics

An essay is a piece of writing that outlines the perception of the writer on the subject. In political science, it is important to have an objective perception of the various issues you might need to write about. Below are a few essay topics ideas:

70. Discuss terrorism as a political instrument
71. The relationship between power and morality
72. The philosophy of politics
73. Discuss the most influential political figures if the 21^st century
74. Discuss the influence of postmodernism on contemporary politics
75. The risks involved in running a neopatrimonialism society
76. The main causes of the American revolution
77. Is religion a strong political instrument in contemporary politics?
78. Compare and contrast between liberalism and republicanism
79. Controversy and trouble surrounding amnesty international
80. The effect of national security on civil liberty

Interesting political science research topics

Since political science is a social science it may come across as a boring discipline. There are, however, interesting and controversial issues that happen around political science. Take a look at the topical ideas:

81. Utilitarianism versus egalitarianism: a comparative analysis
82. Discuss the relationship type between the government and the public
83. The republic by Plato: analytic analysis
84. The alteration of the voting process by technology
85. Is contemporary politics too dependent on technology?
86. The correlation between environmental issues and modern politics
87. The use of fascism after world war II
88. The procedure and ethics of prosecuting top-tier officials
89. Global leader’s interdependence on each other: analytic research
90. Compare and contrast between political conflict and armed conflict
91. Discuss various techniques of eradicating corruption in America and their effectiveness
92. Describe the genesis of the Afghanistan war

 Political science senior thesis topics

A senior thesis is a project that students undertake during their final year to fulfill their graduation requirements. Below are a few political science research topics for senior thesis papers:

93. What should countries focus more on to improve their economies, regional or international trade?
94. How do interest groups influence political decisions and public policy?
95. How will the large number of African countries influence politics through voting?
96. The effect of pardoning violent criminals on society
97. Discuss the elements of psychological politics in the contemporary world
98. What was the effect of the Biden vs. Trump election on foreign politics?
99. What is the single most controversial political decision that has impacted international politics?
100. Research on the conflict caused by water scarcity in China
101. The influence of public opinion on policies surrounding the disposal of nuclear waster
102. Discuss the Israeli-Palestine conflict
103. What would be termed as a just migration policy?
104. The role of political controversy in fueling mass shootings
105. Using language to fulfill political agenda: an overview of political propaganda
106. An empirical evaluation of the liberty of contract
107. Media coverage and framing public opinion of American politics

Political science research topic ideas

A lot of research is needed in political science since getting accurate facts and data is imperative. The following are a few political science research topics available for research on the field:

108. What is the correlation between good financial policies between countries in strengthening their political relations?
109. Discuss the role of political governance in the proper government of a country faced with unemployment, population explosion, and limited resources
110. Discuss the impact of global politics in education around the world
111. What circumstances lead to the outbreak of civil war?
112. Is it possible for governments to equally distribute economic resources and reduce the gap between the rich and the poor?
113. Discuss how the political psychology of a leader is reflected in a leader’s leadership style
114. What is the role of a political system in maintaining stability and peace in a nation?
115. Discuss the most pressing agendas of global politics that need to be addressed by both poor and rich nations
116. Why is it important for a politician to study ground situations before ascending to a rule or law?
117. Discuss the importance of a political leader evaluating the mistakes of his predecessors for them to be a better leader
118. What is the influence of English as an international language on global politics?

 Political science term paper topics

A term paper is an academic paper written by a student over the course of a term or semester on a certain course. A student could write a term paper based on political development, social evolution, and the role of politics in their society. Below are a few political science research topics ideas:

119. The failed social experiment of Cuba
120. Pros and Cons of the electoral college
121. A political analysis of the People’s Republic of China
122. The correlation between politics and human evolution
123. The political achievements of Barrack Obama
124. Empirical research on the U.S and North Korean relations
125. Racial and religious profiling in post 9/11 U.S.A in mass media
126. Doctrine and reapportionment: The political question
127. Comparative legal analysis in sexual harassment
128. The correlation between civil society and truth commissions
129. Amendments to the equal rights doctrine

Political science literature review topics

A literature review reviews the state of knowledge on a topic or a research question. The relevance of literature review in political science is to analyze the relevance of scholarly material and its contribution to the field.  

130. An analysis at political diversity among leaders
131. Elements of socialism among developing nations
132. The correlation between globalization and complex interdependence
133. What is the relationship between religion and comparative politics?
134. Compare and contrast structural functionalism and systems theory
135. Discuss the principal-agent theory
136. Evaluate the impact of international organizations and regimes on global politics
137. Discuss the correlation between political conflict and resource scarcity
138. Discuss the elements and correlation between dependency and development
139. Empirical research on feminist international relations
140. Political culture

Political science dissertation topics

A dissertation is a piece of academic writing based on original research. The selection of a good research topic is the first step to writing a good dissertation. Here are a few ideas:

141. The impact of COvid-19 on global politics
142. What is the impact of political extremism?
143. Discuss the use of poverty as a political instrument by various political regimes
144. What effect does the nuclear threat have on political systems around the world?
145. Should political leaders engage in social media?
146. Discuss the most significant causes of global poverty
147. The impact of anti-corruption agencies in democratic nations
148. Elements of ethnicity and racism in international trade agreements
149. The role of women in modern war
150. Define and expound on the deterrence theory
151. Analytical research on spatial modeling

Political science research topics

Research is eminent in a broad social science field such as political science. As such, here are a few suggested topics for exploration:

152. Theory of rational choice
153. Civil law court versus mediation policies
154. Power distribution in the Arctic
155. History of European legislators
156. Ethics in NGOs
157. Analysis of war doctrines: Bush, Clinton, and Obama
158. Is Vladimir Putin a dictator?
159. Who is in charge – mass media or politicians?

How to write a political science research paper

The technical aspect of writing a research paper is usually very challenging for most students. A step by step plan of how you will write your paper is the best way to ease the writing process:

1. Choose a research paper topic

Find a topic or event in political science that interests you. Next, browse all available resources that contribute to your topic. If there is not enough material for your topic, then it’s best to find another topic.  

Come up with a precise question that you wish to investigate. A good question is the foundation of your paper and will guide your research.

2. Develop a research design

Think through exactly what you need to know during your research. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What data do I need for my research?
• What actions do I need to take to collect data and fulfill my research?
• What events affect my topic of research?
• Where will you collect all the data needed?
• Develop a thesis

A thesis presents the main argument of your research question. The answer to your research question forms the basis of your thesis. The research paper must validate or refute your thesis statement through your arguments. Your research should present the evidence needed to persuade your reader. 

3. Cite all your sources

Proper citations prove the legibility and originality of your paper. All academic papers must have references and a bibliography.

4. Write the paper

The final step is to write the political science paper based on your research providing all the needed evidence. To write a well-refined paper, investigate important political science theories. Proofread your paper, and adjust all the corrections needed.

Generally, a political science research paper format is as follows:

•  Introduction

Identify your research question and thesis statement at the introductory part of your paper. Explain why your research is relevant to the political science field.

•  Literature review

This refers to the scholarly literature that is relevant to your research. Your research should fulfill the literary gaps left out by your scholarly sources. Provide a review of the conceivable explanations for your research question.

• Data

Data is a presentation of the evidence to support or refute your thesis statement. All your arguments should be backed up by evidence.

• Conclusion

The conclusion is a summary of your findings. Be sure to restate your thesis statement in the conclusion. Do not add any new information to your research paper in the conclusion.  

 Sample political science research paper

Below is a sample of a political science research paper. Follow the structure of the sample to write your research paper.

Covering the split between the state and market

Globalization is the worldwide interaction between people, organizations, and governments. The big question lies, is globalization good for the world economy or not? Different views and opinions have been contributed towards this controversial issue.

It is clear that some countries benefit more than others. Developed countries have a market for their products and services while developing countries enjoy improved infrastructure through foreign investments. The trick is to figure out how gains most from globalization economically and who is being exploited. It is up to a country’s government to reap all the benefits that come from globalization.

The greatest contributing factors to globalization are the internet and computers. The evolution of technology has seen computers turn into portable and mobile devices making access to the internet ubiquitous than ever before.

As globalization has taken foot over the years, it comes with its fair share of problems. Increased investments and economic advancement in a country attract a lot of attention to it. This attention could be both detrimental or warranted to the country in question.

Globalization is not a zero-sum game where some countries win and some come out with nothing. It is worth noting that developed countries have not lowered tax barriers in certain sectors against developing countries. Information technology, intellectual property, and ant-dumping policies have been set up to discriminate against developing countries.

When foreign investments are made, host countries should ensure to cushion against external economic variations that may adversely affect them. For example, when multinationals set up a branch in a developing country changes in policy, organizational structure, and economic conditions could occur at the headquarters. These changes may in turn lead to changes such as layoffs in the branch countries.

One of the strategies to balance state and market splits is regionalization. Regionalization is globalization within a country’s region. Trade agreements between countries that are close together are more likely to work due to their proximity to each other.

Multilateralism, organizing relations between groups of nations, is another way of mending state-market splits.  Organizations such as the United Nations and the African Union are examples of such an arrangement. It acts as a great platform for ensuring each member state gets its fair due in a trade agreement and conflict resolution.

In conclusion, globalization has taken root in the contemporary world. The biggest concern however lies in whether globalization contributes negatively or positively towards the world economy.  Instances of discrimination have been seen against developing nations instigated by developed nations. There are however solutions such as regionalization and multilateralism that could combat the adverse effects of globalization.

In summary

Political science paper may be complicated or shallow when a wrong topic is chosen. Browsing through well thought-out political science research topics and picking one that appeals you might be your gateway to a good grade. You may pick topics suggested in this article. Use one to write a research paper or use it as a building block to create your topic.