Political Science in Europe at the Beginning of the 21st Century

The papers in this volume are a must-read for anyone who is or wants to be a researcher or lecturer in political science. They are a great source of information on the current state of European political science as an academic discipline with its long history, but nevertheless constantly seeking to modernize itself in order to keep up with the developments in politics and modern societies. (...) The reader is presented with thorough descriptions of the current state of political science in most European countries. Data on the number of political science university programmes and the students’ preferences in terms of specialization is well-documented and presented in the form of tables and graphs. The book provides the reader with knowledge of the range of programmes and courses offered by universities and the scope of research projects conducted in various European academic centres. All of the papers contain thoroughly prepared and clearly presented information on the past and present of political science in particular countries as well as valuable reflections about the future and suggestions of changes, which should help take our discipline through these difficult times which social sciences are already facing in a number of countries and which may yet have to be faced in others. (…) The book will most certainly be an interesting read to European political scientists. From the review by Professor Andrzej W. Jabłoński, University of Wrocław   

This practical character can make political science a platform for collaborative, interdisciplinary debate about the political dimension of human existence.
Importantly, political science is not a scientific discipline which can be explored at university, and later forgotten. It is a science directly related to questions impacting the quality of our life. Understanding political science renders our participation in public life more effective; it allows a better understanding of the paradoxical relationship between the personal and the social.
The Editors