DEPARTMENT HISTORY, VISION AND MISSION

The study of political science at Macalester emphasizes making connections between the theory and practice of politics. Concerns range from perennial philosophical or normative issues regarding power, justice, freedom, human dignity and social responsibility to practical political matters such as policy making and public problem solving. While the Political Science Department seeks to cultivate in its students a wide range of practical and scholarly competencies, several are considered centrally important. First, the Department seeks to help its majors develop a mature political imagination. By this we mean a capacity to approach important social problems and issues as a political scientist. A mature political imagination includes an ability to envision what constitutes an important political question/issue; to understand the various ways in which a political scientist might address such a question/issue; to conduct social inquiry into that question/issue employing methodologies and techniques appropriate to political scientists; to recognize the partiality of political science questions, explanations and forms of social inquiry and the importance of insights from other disciplines; and an ability to think critically, analytically and creatively about the political issues and challenges confronting humanity today.

Second, the Department seeks to cultivate in its majors a well-developed theoretical sensibility premised on a sound understanding of the major theoretical trends, perspectives, concerns and debates that have shaped the evolution of the discipline and/or its constituent sub-disciplines over the past several centuries. Related to this would be an ability to engage the world – whether as political scholars or political actors – with a certain degree of theoretical sophistication and confidence;

Third, the Department seeks to cultivate in its majors a well-developed ability to think critically, synthetically, analytically and rigorously about the world of politics. The PS faculty believe that the development of these higher-order cognitive skills is at the core of the Department’s collective endeavors.

Fourth, the Department seeks to help Political Science majors develop a number of practical competencies, including:

· a capacity for close, focused and critical reading of political texts;

· an ability to convey information, analysis and persuasive arguments in written form clearly and effectively;

· a level of numeracy appropriate to a student’s research interests and the demands of contemporary political life;

· an ability to conduct sound and rigorous social inquiry using a variety of methodologies and techniques

· a capacity for effective collaboration with others;

· a capacity for effective problem-solving;

· a facility with relevant information technologies;

· a well-developed capacity for democratic deliberation. and,

· a capacity for effective and meaningful civic engagement/leadership involving the practical application of these competencies in the ‘real world’ of politics.

Finally, the Department believes that educational excellence in political science should not only involve the development of intellectual capacities, but also civic competencies such as leadership, civility, ethical behavior, and respect for diversity. The Department views the cultivation of these competencies as central to the goals of a first-class Political Science program.

The Political Science faculty enthusiastically endorses and embraces the College’s core mission and has consciously developed a Departmental vision that emphasizes academic excellence for civic engagement and leadership in a multicultural and globalizing world.