Omslag, Birgitta Mattson - Södertörns högskola

Bilaga I
more immediate relevance for empirical study. Political-science
theories can thus be defined in this context as those at a less general
or abstract level, but which explicitly or implicitly base themselves on
political theory.
Three main axiomatic approaches can be discerned at both these
levels: one in which central assertions concern language, concepts
and ideas at societal level; one in which central assertions concern
the individual, rationality and preferences; and, finally, one in which
central assertions concern the significance of material prerequisites
for the state and for politics. These three ways of formulating political
theory and political-science theory are, in many ways, at odds with
each other. They can sometimes be combined, although this still
implies that a certain perspective is prioritised. Seminars in this
course focus on all three of the perspectives mentioned above. These
seminars revolve around reading original texts, including doctoral
theses.
Topics to be discussed include political science as a discipline,
language and concepts as politics, constructivism, rationality and
collective action, and institutionalism.
5. Course design
The course opens with a seminar that locates political science, and
especially Swedish political science, in a historical context of debates,
research interests and perspectives within the discipline. After short
presentations from course participants, we will also discuss how the
course might be helpful for various types of research project.
Two of the following seminars are largely devoted to what in the
course is defined as political theory and a selection of articles and
chapters will be read before each of them. The two other seminars
will concentrate on types of political-science theory, with special focus
on constructivism and institutionalism. These seminars will again
feature original texts and two Swedish PhD theses, one for each
seminar.
6. Course assessment
The course is examined through assessment of a short paper (7-10
pages). This can either (a) present a take on a theory-related
question that the course addresses, or it can (b) constitute a
discussion of some theory-related issues raised during the course in
relation to the research problem that a coming doctoral thesis will
take up. The final seminar in the course will contain a general
discussion of these papers.
Preparation for and active participation in the seminars are
prerequisites for passing the examination.
Politik, ekonomi och samhällets organisering
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