What does a political scientist do?

Hay un gran abanico de habilidades y educaciones en el mundo de la ciencia política. Si bien la Licenciatura en Ciencia Política suele ser el carácter común, el camino de cada persona depende muchas veces de sus intereses personales, experiencias, deseos o incluso el mercado laboral. Si bien podríamos decir que los conocimientos generales van desde la historia nacional e internacional, filosofía social, fundamentos de la política, psicología social, relaciones internacionales o gestión de proyectos, programas y políticas; la forma y planos de aplicación de estos conocimientos puede depender muchísimo de la persona. Allí es donde también aparecen las especializaciones y maestrías para orientar este conocimiento hacia un campo más específico.

??? A political scientist studies political systems, behavior, and institutions to analyze and understand political phenomena. ?? They conduct research, develop theories, and examine the impact of policies on societies. Political scientists may specialize in areas like international relations, public policy, or comparative politics. ?? Their work contributes to informed political decision-making, and they often publish research findings in academic journals. ????

Political scientists specialize in analyzing political systems, trends, and theories. Essential skills include research, analysis, communication, and critical thinking, coupled with a strong interest in politics and an understanding of diverse political concepts. Typically holding a bachelor's degree in political science or related disciplines like sociology or economics, advancement in this field often requires a master's or doctoral degree. Specializations vary, encompassing areas like comparative politics, international relations, political economy, and public policy. Their work involves examining political behaviors, policies, and systems, providing insights into political strategies and theoretical frameworks.

Tips for?being a political science student at university Try not to have political opinions.?Failing that, at the very least don't talk about your personal beliefs.?... Always argue in good faith.?It doesn't matter if you're criticising Thomas Aquinas or a classmate.?... Read consistently and widely.?... Don't engage in mud-flinging

However, since qualitative research methods are prone to the influence of the researcher in both data collection (i.e., observer bias) and interpretation, quantitative research methods, the?mixed method?is the best option for most research because it combines the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative research .

Como toda investigación, la metodología está asociada a los objetivos y los intereses del trabajo. Normalmente, lxs politólogxs cuentan con conocimiento sobre distintos tipos de metodologías de investigación, ya sean cuantitativas, cualitativas o mixtas. También poseen conocimiento sobre la epistemología y fundamentos teóricos de cada marco metodológico, lo cual permite abordar con mayor precisión qué tipo de metodología puede ser de utilidad para una investigación. El uso de encuestas, entrevistas, revisión documental, grupos focales o estadísticas multivariadas son algunas técnicas de investigación que pueden aplicarse, pero siempre dependerán del objetivo de la investigación.

In my experience, there is a lot of research out there that is determined by the methodological expertise of its authors, rather than by an inherent interest in specific subjects or questions. In many cases, it seems that researchs do not ask "what are the best methods I can employ to answer this question?" but rather "what question can I answer with these methods?" This often leads to very uninspired and often irrelevant research. My advice is to always start from your question: ask a question that matters, and then consider which methods could best answer it. If you do not have the methodological training to answer your question, either acquire it or consider collaborating with someone who does.

Para algunas investigaciones o publicaciones podemos contar con fuentes de datos accesibles que se encuentran publicadas fruto de trabajo de colegas o instituciones. Sin embargo, en campos de investigación emergentes o nuevos, podemos encontrar una carencia de fuentes de datos, por lo que a veces existen proyectos de investigación destinados específicamente a construir una base de datos sobre algún tema en particular. El análisis y construcción de información para políticas, toma de decisiones u otras investigaciones también es un tipo de especialización que muchxs politólogxs realizan.

Political scientists rely on a variety of empirical methods and statistical models, such as?linear regression, maximum likelihood estimation, laboratory and survey experiments, and social network analysis. Mathematical models are also important tools for rigorous theoretical analysis .

Political scientists are uniquely positioned to illuminate the complexities of governance and policy by embracing and working through an interdisciplinary lens. I say this as a trained political scientist and as someone doing a PhD effectively in interdisciplinary studies. Interdisciplinary thinking allows political scientists to uncover the nuanced ways in which policies can influence diverse areas of society, and vice versa. Allowing them to lead to more informed and effective recommendations for stakeholders. Working with such a blended approach opens up a myriad of opportunities for application and impact in more ways than you might originally think there are!

Outside of academic research, political scientists are excellent generalists. The word "generalist" is sometimes used negatively, to describe someone who does not have any specialist expertise. In my experience, this is a very narrow-minded approach. Being a generalist should be considered a specialisation in its own right. Generalists are specialised in approaching problems from different points of view, in connecting the dots, in moving from one subject to another and building relevant expertise quickly. There is perhaps no other field of study which brings together as many disciplines as political science, and as such graduates in this field are uniquely placed to tackle the complexity of our age.

Political science is also a very good starting place for anyone interested in pursuing a diplomatic career or working in international organisations. Additionally, I know many international lawyers who started their university education with a bachelor's degree in political science, and then moved on to pursue a master's degree and/or a PhD in international law. In some countries and in some universities, a bachelor's degree in political science may actually offer more courses on international law than a law degree would.

Existe una variedad de caminos profesionales dependiendo del interés personal, la experiencia, las oportunidades, los sectores y la especialización. Nuevamente esas salidas dependerán mucho del camino que se piensa recorrer. Puede ser en la administración pública, la consultoría política, las relaciones internacionales, docencia, investigación, periodismo, activismo, y otros caminos profesionales que quizás a primera vista nos puedan parecer ajenos a la ciencia política. Hoy en día, la especialización y la interdisciplinariedad hacen que lxs politologxs se vinculen mucho con otras ramas del conocimiento y pueden llegar a especializarse en otros rubros como la tecnología, el dise?o, la arquitectura, la IA e incluso el arte.

Dada la amplitud de caminos profesionales que la ciencia política tiene, siempre es recomendable mantener un perfil de apertura a las experiencias más allá de lo académico. Una carrera de ciencia política por más interesante que sea, se nutre muchísimo más de las experiencias laborales, personales o intereses que tenemos durante nuestro aprendizaje. Siempre es recomendable acompa?ar cursadas universitarias con actividades extracurriculares, militancias en causas sociales, aprendizajes sobre temáticas ajenas a la carrera o profundizar en temas específicos que nos llaman la atención. A veces, esa amplitud profesional puede parecer demasiado generalista, por lo que algunas personas recomiendan especializarnos en algún tema en particular.

To become a successful political analyst, you should have skills like: Research and analysis: You should be able to perform reliable research using various sources and methods and be able to interpret and synthesize the data, and draw logical conclusions. Communication: You should be able to communicate your research findings and opinions clearly and effectively through publishing reports, articles or papers. Knowledge: You should have a strong understanding and interest in political systems, processes, actors, and issues of your area of specialization. Technology: You should be able to use various technology tools to facilitate your research like RStudio, SAS, SPSS, or Tableau, that can help you organize, process and visualize your data.