240 Best Political Science Research Topics to Deal With

Political science is a complex and broad subject that deals with various aspects of politics and power at the domestic and international levels. It mainly focuses on the political ideologies, policies, activities, strategies, processes, behavior, and the associated laws and constitutions. If you are a student who is pursuing a degree in political science, law, philosophy, sociology, or any other courses related to politics, then for your final assignment you may need political science research topics.

Do you want to write an excellent political science research paper? Are you searching for the best political science research topics? No worries! We know how difficult it is to find the right research topic when you are asked to select the topic on your own. So, to help you, in this blog post, we have shared a list of the best political science research topics along with the do’s and don’ts to be followed when writing a political science research paper.

Tips for Choosing a Political Science Research Topic

A political science research paper requires careful topic selection. Use these suggestions if you are unsure how to choose the ideal political science research topic.

• Decide on a study topic that interests you. Your curiosity and enthusiasm will lead you to success.
• Pick a unique topic that has not been examined in detail earlier and is still relevant to the current situation.
• Select a specific topic that has enough resources for research. Keep in mind that your study topic should be adaptable so you may finish it ahead of schedule.
• Consider a political science research paper topic that is captivating and significant for a wider audience. Prioritizing a topic that people are interested in and actively discuss is always preferable.
• Take into account unnoticed political relationships, trends, and answers while choosing a topic for your political science research paper. Make sure the study topic you select on political science has the scope to perform an in-depth investigation.
• Get the instructor’s approval or criticism before starting your study. Obtaining instructor feedback will help you enhance the quality of your work.

Guidelines for Writing a Political Science Research Paper

A good topic is all you need for writing a political research paper. Once you have selected an ideal political science research topic, you can go ahead and begin your research paper writing process. But when writing your political science research paper, make sure to keep the following things in mind.

1. Stick to one idea – one-paragraph rule.
2. Research any literature or similar projects related to your topic and gather information.
3. Provide facts with reliable academic sources.
4. Include statistics, data, or any evidence supporting your main points.
5. Before the conclusion part, include the counterargument paragraph.
6. When addressing sensitive points in your paper, never use a harsh tone.
7. Avoid portraying only one side of the issue.
8. Remain neutral when discussing political parties. Never show your favoritism.
9. Avoid too much quoting in the research paper.
10. Do not use any slang terms or colloquial language.

List of the Best Political Science Research Topics

Choosing a political science topic for a research project is a challenging task. As political science is a wide subject, you can research any political-related areas such as international relations, comparative politics, public law, conflict resolution, public administration, mediation and negotiation, etc.

Listed below are a few interesting political science research topics for you to consider.

Go through the complete list and pick a topic of your interest.

Captivating Political Science Research Questions

The political science research paper you develop should grab your readers’ attention and it should be thought-provoking. So, to captivate your target audience, ensure to create your thesis on any of the below-listed captivating research questions on political science.

1. What are the benefits of a democratic government?
2. Discuss the negative effects of anarchism.
3. How do social changes influence the politics in your country?
4. What makes a ruler a dictator?
5. Compare and contrast utilitarianism with egalitarianism
6. What gives legitimacy and authority in a democratic state?
7. Analyze the national politics of a country of your choice
8. Russia’s foreign policy towards Ukraine
9. Discuss public service motivation in the United States
10. Discuss signs of election fraud in the United States

International Relations Topics for Political Science Research Paper

International Relations explore how states, organizations, and global players interact, negotiate, and fight to shape global politics and governance. For preparing your political science research paper, you may take into consideration any of these study topics on international relations.

1. An analysis of global security networks
2. International Monetary Fund Structure
3. NGO ethical guidelines
4. Global poverty causes
5. Arctic Circle Power Battles
6. Analyze one of the many religious wars.
7. Syrian conflict cause-effect
8. Human Rights in Uganda
9. What caused the war in Afghanistan?
10. Non-State facilitators in Japan Corporations
11. Analyze how globalization affects national autonomy and decision-making.
12. Discuss the role of international organizations like the UN in resolving conflicts.
13. Examine the effectiveness of sanctions as a foreign policy tool.
14. Analyze migration’s impact on host and origin countries.
15. Explore cybersecurity threats and global responses.

Unique Political Science Research Topics

You can prepare your political science research paper on any of the below-listed distinct study topics to make it stand out. Furthermore, when writing about unexplored topics in political science, you will get a chance to identify new insights, fill knowledge gaps, resolve critical issues, and improve the field.

1. Amnesty International Controversies
2. Discuss the rise in international terrorism.
3. China-US relations
4. The effects of nationalism in Germany
5. Relations between North and South Korea
6. Critical analysis of the relationship between India and Pakistan
7. Power of the United Nations
8. Areas discussed in G-20 Summit 2021
9. Agenda of QUAD Summit 2021
10. Theories of Geopolitics
11. Presidential vs parliamentary democracy
12. Cultural pressure between the US and Japan
13. Soviet Union Ideology
14. Chinese financial institutions duplicating the International Monetary Fund (IMF): Western myths or reality?
15. Critical evaluation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of the Chinese government
16. United Nations on war, violence, and international security
17. Examine the causes of political conflicts between India and China
18. The digital transformation of diplomacy: Implications for the African Union
19. Analysis of the impact of cyber-diplomacy on international relations
20. Analyze the pullout of military force by the United States from Germany as a policy shift in Europe
21. Examine the role of the United Nations in resolving the conflicts between India and Pakistan
22. Assess the effect of Brexit on the political relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union
23. Examine the political relations between Sri Lanka and China

Research Topics on Comparative Politics

To spot trends and differences, comparative politics studies the political structures, practices, and systems of various nations. In your political science research paper, you may examine and explain any of these topics about comparative politics.

1. What are comparative political institutions?
2. Presidential versus Parliamentary Democracy
3. A behavioral approach to parties’ comparison
4. A study of the Anglo-Saxon traits in the American Government
5. Apartheid Phenomenon
6. Discuss direct and indirect binary comparisons.
7. Chinese Communist Party Hierarchy
8. Vietnam War interests aggregation
9. Recruitment in developing countries
10. Explain the modernization theory.
11. Analyze 2 comparative parties in your country
12. Talk about conflict and revolution in the United States
13. A study of the cultural pressure between Japan and the United States
14. Foreign policies of the United States versus the United Kingdom
15. Compare and contrast the FDI policies of the United States and India
16. German philosophy and Karl Schmidt’s theses
17. Election policies
18. Strategic planning in fiscal management

Read More: Comparative Essay 

Research Topics on Political Theory

Political theory is a methodical study of power, justice, governance, and political systems that looks at the institutions, beliefs, and ideas that shape society. If you are interested in knowing about political theories, conduct deep research on any of the below-listed study topics and create a political science thesis.

1. Anarchism History Key Figures
2. Aristotle’s Philosophy on the Theory of Governance
3. Agrarianism political theory
4. Analyze – The Republic By Plato
5. Edmund Burke’s Classic Theories
6. Egalitarianism theory
7. Frederic Bastiat Theses
8. John Austin Theory
9. Jean Bodin on Sovereignty
10. Liberty and Justice Challenges
11. Phoenicianism Political theory
12. Socialism with Communism in Eastern Europe
13. The Disciplinary Power of Foucault
14. Vladimir Lenin and Communism Approach
15. Research the topic of Zionism
16. Critical Analysis of Descriptive Political Theory and Contemporary Political Theory
17. Karl Marx – The Father of Communism
18. Civil war causes and peculiarity
19. Social network and protest movement
20. Ukraine divided: Political powers in play

Political Science Research Topics on Public Administration

Public administration is the efficient use, administration, and control of public policies, programs, and services by organizations and government agencies. When it comes to developing a political science research paper, you may select any of the following topics about public administration.

1. Public administration and its link to social equity
2. Administration Careers in Transportation Security
3. Sustainability projects in public administration
4. Nonprofit organizations Ethics
5. Environmental Management Compromises
6. An Analysis of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
7. Public administration: traits of a true leader
8. Innovations in the Private Sector in the United States
9. Strategic Planning in Fiscal Management
10. Community Development Methods
11. Optimal Benefits to Public Safety
12. Crisis management procedures in your area
13. John Rohr’s Constitutional Vision
14. Governmental Efforts Coordination
15. Analyze the public organizational behavior in your country.
16. Prewar Constitutional Vision of Abraham Lincoln
17. Power of public administration to ensure public health and well-being
18. Criminal Law and Common Morality
19. Post-conflict justice inequality
20. Difference between political and armed conflict

Political Science Philosophy Research Topics

Political science philosophy is the critical study of the core morals, values, and rules that reinforce power, government, and political institutions. In case, you are curious to explore political science from a philosophical point of view, then perform research on any of the below-listed topics about political science philosophy.

1. Republican Traditions in Education
2. Causes of the American Revolution
3. Election Ethics
4. German Philosophy & Karl Schmidt Theses
5. Transition Methods in the Post-Socialist Era
6. Liberal democracy justification
7. Civil Republicanism in contrast with Liberalism
8. Existentialism according to Western Constitutional Law
9. A study of mutual tolerance as a political virtue.
10. Neopatrimonialism Society Risks
11. Social networks and protest movement
12. Syrian government repression
13. Afghanistan conflict

Public Law Research Topics

Public law is the area of law that regulates the rights, obligations, and powers of individuals, institutions, and the government. Listed below are some fascinating public law research topics that will be convenient for you to analyze and write about.

1. Human Rights Act 1998
2. Famous Legislators in European Legal History
3. Criminal Law and Common Morality
4. Analyze constitutional law in your country
5. Discuss the role of mandatory rules in public law.
6. Civil Liberties and National Security Complaints
7. Judicial Review Argumentation Analysis
8. Privacy Law or Commercial Exploitation
9. Discuss the “public bodies act lawfully” principle of public law.
10. Socio-Economic preferences in Police Interrogation
11. Custody battles and gender bias psychology
12. Public Safety Statutes Judicial Interpretation
13. Post-Conflict Justice Inequality
14. Do all central and local governments have to obey public law?
15. Differences between procedural law and private law in the UK
16. Legal remedies for victims of the environmental population in Nigeria
17. Role of the public complaint commission on worker rights

Read more law topics: Unique Law Research Topics For Academic Writing

Research Topics on Political Conflicts

Political conflicts are disputes inside or between countries over resources, values, and policies that are driven by conflicting identities, interests, and ideologies. Here, we have suggested some intriguing research ideas about political conflicts you may explore in your political science dissertation.

1. Yemen Conflict Resolution Methods
2. The Afghanistan Conflict
3. Conflicts between politics and religion
4. Mexico and Immigrants Crisis
5. Social Networks and Protest Movements
6. The conflict between Joe Biden and Donald Trump
7. Free speech and hate speech in political conflicts
8. Syrian Government Repression
9. Reagan’s Political Agenda
10. Civil War Causes and Peculiarities
11. War In Donbas: Russia’s Aggression In Ukraine
12. The best way to settle a political dispute
13. The Iraq war and the history of war crimes
14. Propaganda techniques during political wars
15. Causes of Rebellion in the Central African Republic
16. The conflict between the US and China

Political Science Research Topics on Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution examines ways to settle disagreements, preserve harmony, and negotiate agreements between people, organizations, and countries. Listed below are a few topics about conflict resolution you may discuss in your political science research paper.

1. The United States Foreign Policy
2. Post-war countries conflict art Legacy
3. News coverage Media bias
4. Conflicts of African American prisoners
5. Afghanistan Collaboration Methods
6. Arctic Power Distribution
7. Political leaders and their ambitions
8. Iran Oil Conflict
9. Security leadership conflicts after 9/11
10. Concession between Right- and Left-wing Parties
11. What caused the war in Afghanistan?
12. Syrian conflict cause and effect

Political Science Research Topics on Mediation and Negotiation

Mediation refers to the discussion that is mediated by a third party to settle conflicts but direct contact is used in negotiation to help disputing parties come to mutually beneficial agreements. In your political science thesis, you may analyze these study topics on mediation and negotiation.

1. Volunteering and Social Movements
2. Hostage care in foreign countries negotiation
3. Transnational Corporation Legal Disputes
4. American Modern Whistleblowers
5. Case Study Analysis of the Mediation Agreement
6. The mediation process in the Permanent Court of Arbitration
7. Wartime negotiation methods
8. Mediation hearing preparation process
9. Groundbreaking Constitutional Talks Regarding Syria
10. Civil Law Court versus Mediation Policies
11. Drafting Arbitration and Mediation Clauses
12. Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods
13. Elections Agenda Analysis
14. International Arbitration Tribunal Mediation Process
15. Handling agricultural land disputes

Simple Political Science Research Ideas for Students

Would you like to understand the fundamentals of political science? If yes, then perform an in-depth study on basic political science topics. The following are a few simple ideas about political science that will be helpful for students to easily research and gather valuable insights.

1. Differences between Political and Armed Conflicts
2. Corruption Elimination Methods
3. Post-war Social Movements
4. Is religion a social power?
5. Implementing crucial changes in legislation processes
6. Is pardoning criminals acceptable?
7. Federalism traces in the Unitary Governance Model
8. Compare European and American Federal Crimes
9. Modern Leader’s Global Interdependence
10. Prosecution Ethics of Top Tier Officials
11. Analyze social media’s role in shaping political engagement.
12. Assess policy execution challenges and solutions.
13. Examine ethnic identity’s effects on national cohesion.
14. Evaluate economic and political cooperation within regions.
15. Analyze demographic, economic, and social factors that affect voting choices.
16. Examine gender disparities in political participation.

Interesting Political Science Research Topics

Only when you work on a subject you are enthusiastic about can you enjoy studying. So, consider any topic relating to your field of interest for writing a political science research paper. Listed below are a few research topics about political science that will be exciting for you to work on.

1. Social security issues in Australia
2. Is a dictatorship the same as a monarchy?
3. Imperialism in British Columbia
4. What makes Saddam Hussein a dictator?
5. How did Arnold Schwarzenegger become a politician?
6. Analyze the politics of Ancient Greece
7. Compare and contrast political science with pure history.
8. Boko Haram’s Expansion in Nigeria
9. Analyze the India-China border dispute
10. Discuss the rise of ISIS in Afghanistan
11. Colonialism in African countries
12. How did Vladimir Putin win 4 terms as president in Russia?
13. Analyze a totalitarian government
14. Gender equality in politics
15. The Israel-Hamas conflict

Latest Political Science Research Paper Topics

Political science is an evolving field and hence the topics you study will never become outdated. Here is a collection of current political science study topics that you can select for preparing a well-structured and trending research paper.

1. Environmental Management Compromises as a Result of Private Sector Innovations in the U.S.
2. The best benefits of public safety come from fiscal management and strategic planning administration careers in transportation security.
3. Federal Emergency Management Agency Evaluation
4. Comparison of European and American Federal Crimes:
5. Comparison of European and American Federal Crimes:
6. Is Religion a Power in Society?
7. Corruption Prevention Techniques
8. Implementing Fundamental Reforms in the Legislative Process
9. Social Movements after the War
10. The Unitary Governance Model Shows Traces of Federalism
11. Can nationalism be categorized as a legitimate school of historical leaders?
12.  Marx and 20th-century politics.
13.  How does technology affect the voting process?
14.  Is technology a need for current political culture?
15.  The evolution of fascism both before and after World War II.
16.  How successful are electoral reforms in developing free election institutions?
17.  How has 20th-century European politics been impacted by American foreign policy?
18. Environmental conflicts and contemporary politics.
19. global political modernization in the twenty-first century.
20. Changes made to the voting process by technology.

Informative Political Science Research Paper Topics

The political science research paper you develop should strengthen the knowledge of your readers. Hence, for creating a political science dissertation, choose a relevant study topic with educational value. These are some political science research topics that will allow you to compose an informative academic paper.

1. Discuss the role of peace, democracy, and democratic values in the making of the Liberal International Order
2. Critical analysis of the forms and functions of soft norms and informal law-making in International Migration Law
3. Critical analysis of the emergence of the Russia-China Axis and the impact of this axis on the present international order
4. Describe the challenges of protecting the Liberal International Order in the post-pandemic period including the impact of these challenges
5. How do civil society and especially women’s and gender political movements relate to the war?
6. What role do the changing, hegemonic masculinities play in the current war on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides (and beyond)? What constraints are men subject to in the current war, and what forms of resistance are emerging?
7. How can the intersectional perspectives contribute to a better understanding of forced migration by taking into account other categories such as poverty and sexual orientation?
8. Analysis of the impact of the Ukraine war on gender-based and/or sexualized violence in the region and, in turn, on civil society organizations in this area
9. Discuss the opportunities that arise from the increasing commitment of European states to feminist foreign policy
10. Why do states, and which ones (sending, transit, receiving), benefit from the wider spectrum of formats available to soft law (compact, partnership, dialogue, agenda, joint understanding)?

The Bottom Line

Political science is a dynamic discipline that needs extensive research and critical analysis. If you wish to understand the intricacies of governance, global relations, power dynamics, or social justice, then you may conduct political science research on any of the study topics suggested in this blog. By examining the recommended research topics, you can contribute meaningfully to the evolving discourse in political science, promote civic engagement, and shape a more equitable society. But when you choose a topic for your political science research paper, give significance to a topic that aligns with your interests and study objectives. Ultimately, the political science research paper you prepare should have the power to illuminate, educate, and inspire positive change. If you struggle to identify an appropriate topic and develop a political science research paper, get guidance from the subject experts from our team and finish your task in the way you want.