The Supreme Court may seem far from daily life, with its formal robes, marble columns, and lofty legal language. But its decisions don’t stay in Washington, D.C. They can shape the rules people live under every day. Those rulings can show up in your child’s classroom, your workplace, your doctor’s office, your phone, your voting booth, and…
Currently Viewing: Political Science
From Congress to the White House to the Supreme Court, America’s political institutions shape every part of our lives. They decide how much you pay in taxes, whether your vote counts, and what rights you have. But are they working the way they’re supposed to? What Is a Political Institution? Political institutions are the organizations…
When people picture women who reshaped American politics, Ruth Bader Ginsburg often comes to mind first—and for good reason. RBG changed how the law sees gender equality from the inside of the Supreme Court. But here’s the thing: she wasn’t in Congress. Long before women were reliably winning elections—long before it was even legal for…
Ever wonder how elections actually work? The answer lies in electoral systems. Not to be confused with the Electoral College, an electoral system is a set of rules for casting and counting votes and determining who wins. Different countries use different methods to choose their leaders. Some systems can declare a winner with just 34%…
Social media has turned politics into a constant conversation. Not long ago, campaigns relied on TV ads, newspaper coverage, and door-knocking to reach voters. Now, candidates can post directly to millions of people before the evening news even airs. That access is powerful. It can help campaigns mobilize voters, respond quickly, and make political participation feel more…
Political science examines the societal, cultural, and psychological elements that collectively impact governance and political systems. With such a richly layered subject, it’s beneficial to divide formal studies into focus areas that enable students to concentrate on those topics corresponding to their personal and professional interests and goals. The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online…
If you’ve ever wondered, “what can you do with a political science degree?”, you’re in the right place. We’re here to talk about seven influential people who majored in political science. While their success can’t be solely credited to their degrees, it’s fair to say that the knowledge and skills they gained through their education…
Convenience. Fear. Legal obligation. Apathy. There are many factors that impact participation in the democratic process of voting in global elections. Let’s explore some of the complex dynamics that influence voter turnout throughout the world. Voter Turnout Boosters and Barriers Holidays and Weekends Countries like South Korea have declared election day a public holiday, making…
Political parties play a central role in how American policies are created, debated, and carried out. At their core, each party contains groups of people who share broad viewpoints on major issues and work to turn those ideas into laws. They recruit candidates, organize voters, help the government run, and shape the direction of national…
America’s system of “winner takes all” elections, big‑party mergers, and regional breakups has made it almost impossible for a third party to stick around. First, our single‑winner voting rules push people into the two biggest camps. Second, whenever a smaller party got popular—like the Whigs or Dixiecrats—their ideas and voters ended up inside one of…
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