What is government as an academic field of study?

Answer Details

Government as an academic field of study refers to the branch of the social sciences that is concerned with the systematic study of the state, its institutions, and the ways in which power and authority are acquired, organised, exercised and controlled in a political community. As a discipline it is closely related to, and sometimes treated as another name for, political science.

As a field of study, government examines the following:

1. The state and its institutions: It studies the origin, nature and purpose of the state and the institutions of government, namely the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.
2. Political concepts and ideas: It analyses key concepts such as power, authority, legitimacy, sovereignty, liberty, rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
3. Systems and forms of government: It compares different systems (for example presidential and parliamentary, unitary and federal, democratic and authoritarian) and the constitutions on which they are based.
4. Political processes: It studies elections, political parties, pressure groups, public opinion, and the making and implementation of public policy.
5. Relations among states: It also covers international relations and organisations such as the United Nations, the AU and ECOWAS.

As an academic discipline, government is systematic and analytical: it uses observation, comparison and reasoned analysis to describe political facts, explain political behaviour, and evaluate political arrangements. It is therefore both a body of organised knowledge about how societies are governed and a method of studying political life scientifically.