GERMAN POLITICAL SCIENCE: THE STATE OF THE ART

In: European journal of political research: official journal of the European Consortium for Political Research, Band 20, Heft 3-4, S. 239-262

Abstract

THE HISTORY OF THE DISCIPLINE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE IN WEST GERMANY IS AS CONTRADICTORY AS THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY ITSELF. LONG-TERM, MEDIUM-TERM, AND SHORT-TERM EFFECTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE STATE OF THE DISCIPLINE. LONG-TERM EFFECTS WERE EXERTED BY SCIENTIFIC TRADITIONS AND INTELLECTUAL STYLES THAT WERE FORMED BY EARLY AND FUNDAMENTAL DECISIONS IN THE GERMAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. MEDIUM-TERM EFFECTS WERE THE RESULT OF THE NEED TO DEFINE AND ESTABLISH A NEW DISCIPLINE ALONGSIDE ALREADY-ESTABLISHED AND RELATED DISCIPLINES AND WERE THE RESULT OF THE DOMINANT ROLE OF AMERICAN POLITICAL SCIENCE. SHORT-TERM EFFECTS ARE DUE TO THE CURRENT-AFFAIRS ORIENTATION OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AND STEM FROM THE POLITICAL SYSTEM AND FROM INTERVENTIONS INTO THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.