Top 10 Famous Political Scientists and Their Contributions
It would not be incorrect to state that Political science is a broad field with different topics and points of view. Being a social science it examines political acts, political ideologies, political behavior and legal frameworks. Since the days of the ancient Greek philosophers until the present - political scientists have discussed questions relating to power, authority, democracy and justice.
Whereas, the others have focused on particular issues and developed theories alongside frameworks. Their perspective, visions and critiques continue to inspire political discussion and movements to date. Anyone who is wondering who these famous political scientists and their contributions are, keep reading until the end.
Who is a Political Scientist?
Political Scientists are individuals who study the systems, processes and political dynamics of the nations and regions of the world. They put in effort to inform the public and influence particular governments.
Any organization involved in politics or public policy can benefit from having political scientists on staff. With their knowledge, they may assist your organization in creating plans for achieving objectives and influencing the opinion of the public. Anyone who wonders who is a political scientist? must know that their jobs include the following
Market researcher
Lobbyist
Professor
Journalist
Political analyst
Political consultant
Campaign manager
Public relations specialist
Famous Political Scientists and Their Contributions
Samantha Power
In the list of famous political scientists and their contributions, the first name that appears is Samantha Power. She happens to be a journalist and among the most influential people in the world.
During her career, she has worked as an advisor to former US President Barack Obama. Also, she has shown keen interest in different national issues like women's rights, democracy, climate change, human trafficking, LGBT rights, and many more.
What Contributions Have Been Made?
She is behind the publication of A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide which was honored with a Pulitzer award in the year of 2003.
Karl Marx
Karl Marx is a philosopher, political theorist, and revolutionary who was born in Germany in 1818. As the most famous political scientist, he was a lifelong proponent of communism.
Through methods like bloodshed and revolution, he focused on creating a society where everyone would be treated equally.
What Contributions Have Been Made?
He is renowned for writing Das Kapital and co-authoring The Communist Manifesto alongside Friedrich Engels in the year of 1848.
Emily Greene Balch
Emily Greene Balch was a famous American political scientist sociologist, economist and pacifist.
She put extra effort into social issues like poverty and child labour. It was her motive to bring peace and resolve the ongoing issues through her contributions.
What Contributions Have Been Made?
She played a vital role in the International League For Peace and Freedom promoted peace and also was honoured with a Noble Prize in 1946.
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was one of the famous political scientists who was born in Scotland in the year 1723. His writings had a significant impact on the growth of contemporary economics.
Smith's concepts were groundbreaking as they relied more on supply and demand than on regulation or the government itself.
What Contributions Have Been Made?
He is renowned for his influential book "The Wealth of Nations," which is known to contribute to the development of political economy around the world.
Jean Blondel
Among the famous political scientists and their contributions, Jean Blondel comes next in the list who has been researching political structures for more than 70 years.
He is well known for his comparative politics which has somehow contributed to advancing the knowledge of party systems and administrations.
What Contributions Have Been Made?
He is known to be a professor at the University Institute of Florence and has done notable works on communication between parties and cabinets.
Hannah Arendt
Hannah Arendt is one of the famous female political scientists from Germany who was born in the year of 1906. She was known as the most influential political thinker of the 20th century.
Being a Jewish woman in Nazi Germany, she wed Günther Stern in 1929 but ended up facing discrimination throughout which worsened with time. However, she made it through the Holocaust.
What Contributions Have Been Made?
She has done seminal work like The Origins of Totalitarianism among others including Eichmann in Jerusalem, On Revolution, and The Human Condition.
Stephen Walt
One of the very popular and famous male political scientists that you would come across is Stephen Walt. He is an American by nationality and has his area of expertise revolving around International relations.
Currently, he is a professor at Harvard University’s Kennedy School. His efforts and contributions revolve around topics where two parties fight over a particular thing and the structural factors it may bring along. Some of the structural factors that he discusses are inequality, ethnic tension, and poverty.
What Contributions Have Been Made?
He is well known for his authorship in Revolution and War besides other writings like Origins of Alliances, The Israel Lobby and U.S Foreign Policy and Taming American Power.
Alina Mungiu
Last but not least in the list of famous political scientists and their contributions comes Alina Mungiu. She is a Romanian journalist by profession and is known to devote her entire career to promoting the market economy.
During her entire career, she has penned several books and essays on different topics. Some of these topics included corruption, electoral behaviour, nationalism and more. It was her goal to encourage decent governance.
What Contributions Have Been Made?
She has written multiple books and her writings are well recognized besides being cited by scholars around 5000 times.
Get to Know About the Political World Through These Legends
As time passed, the interest of the people in learning about the political system. The value of political scientists has increased and is significant as they provide a solid framework for understanding the global political economy.
It does not matter what your opinion may be,
their words and ideas frequently possess more force than a weapon or a bomb. These minds are shaping and will continue to shape the world throughout.
