Interesting Political Science Dissertation Topics for College Students

Political science students should know everything about the world around them. Politics dictates how our world functions, how we as individuals live in it, what we eat, and what goods we have access to. Overall, the decisions that our politicians make can impact our day-to-day lives. That is why we need more people who can understand this side of the world. 

One way to demonstrate students’ knowledge in their field is through writing a dissertation. Most PhD students choose to write this one last paper to make their contribution to science. It is always appreciated. However, writing such a paper is not an easy task. Usually, it takes grad students at least a year, if not several, to complete their thesis work. It requires a lot of time, effort, research, and good writing and editing skills. Moreover, it requires a good and original idea. Finding strong political science research topic ideas will take a while. The role of a good paper idea is hard to overestimate. 

This is why we want to offer grad students some help in finding the best topics for their discipline. So here is the list of topics for a doctoral dissertation in political science that you may like. Besides, on our website, you can also find some political science essays and research papers examples to get inspired.

Rules on Choosing Political Science Thesis Topics

So how do you choose interesting political science research topics? There is a simple strategy that you can use. First of all, you should always start with what is interesting and important to you. A dissertation is not like any other paper you have ever written. You won’t get over it in a week or two. Most likely, you will have to spend months working on it. Hence, you should work on things that won’t bore you right away. You should look for ideas that will keep you engaged and invested in the whole process. 

Next, make sure you can find enough resources to back up your narrative. You should look for original and interesting ideas. Yet, they should not be too innovative to the point where you can’t find any data on the matter. Lack of resources will complicate your work. Do your research first to make sure you can find enough academic sources on your topic. You need to provide facts to every argument or statement that you use throughout the text. Moreover, often, you will have to find political theories and historical examples to support your idea. 

Finally, do your best to keep a neutral tone throughout your entire work. Politics is a very sensitive field of study. Everyone has an opinion or agenda in most themes that you can pick for your paper. Hence, your goal is not to offend, attack, or approve of anyone. You should only inform and state facts that you find in your research. It’s not up to you to lay down your personal judgments on the matter. The purpose of your dissertation is to explain the complex issues you have chosen and propose the findings and results on the main question. Being considerate and respectful in politics is important. You can start learning those things by writing. 

American Politics Research Topics

It’s not just that you should only be aware of American politics if you live in this country. American policies can have an effect on the entire world. It is one of the few remaining superpowers in the world. Thus, it can have a very impactful role in the world. Recently, the US also showed how rich in events its political arena can be. Hence, students should have no trouble finding plenty of researchable topics in political science in this field. Here are some of them:

1. Is it fair to say that American democracy is living through the crisis? The analysis of the current American domestic politics and its effect on democratic ideals.
2. Will the US become the first country run by corporations? The increasing role of businesses in politics and where it can lead us.
3. The American society is tearing down old values and systems without offering any new and better alternatives. What dangers can such changes bring?
4. The analysis of voting behavior among Americans of different age and race groups. How can it help to improve the voting system in the US?
5. From the television to the Internet: the growing media influence on the American elections and where it can all take us.
6. Tax reforms - the stumbling stone for every liberal politician. Does it have to be so difficult?
7. The causes of the growing wealth inequality in the US. The economic tendency that divides the nation.
8. How, why, and when the issue of abortions became politicized in the US.
9. Why do Americans still fear communism even after the threat is gone? The analysis of the complex relationships of Americans with socialism. 

Political Paper Topics in International Relations 

International relations is a massive part of political studies. One simply cannot be a politics student without proper awareness about the world around them. It is especially true nowadays, when states, policies, and the economy are more intertwined than ever before. Overall, international relations take up a huge share of politics, and for a good reason. Here are some of those reasons as solid dissertation ideas. 

10. The consequences of the US military presence in the Middle East on the American international reputation.
11. The increasing role of non-government organizations in world politics. The dangers and advantages of the current shift in power.
12. Where does the right of state sovereignty end? The case of the genocide in Rwanda and the delay in international intervention. 
13. The consequences of globalization on national identity and cultural diversity. Where should the global influence stop to preserve history? 
14. When did terrorist organizations become international, and why? The shift of terrorist identity from local to global (1970-present). 
15. Is the world a more peaceful place now? The absences of open international military conflicts and what it means for international peace.  
16. How do human rights unite nations and ostracize non-democratic states? 
17. The refugee “crisis” was a crisis on international communication, border safety, and empathy. 
18. The roots and causes of the protest in South Africa. Is Britain to blame?

Comparative Political Science Dissertation Topics

This area of research can be a broad one. You can compare anything you’d like, from equality rates to economic progress. In addition, you can compare countries, their histories, current agendas, and ideologies. Overall, it’s always fun to analyze one country or certain policies when comparing them to the opposite or similar ones. Such tactics are also very common in politics. It helps to show progress and deterioration, successful policies, or the causes of the failure. What’s more, you will learn to apply your analytical and critical thinking while writing your dissertation. Here are some ideas for you:

19. The comparison of social and economic issues between Niger (former French colony) and Nigeria (former British colony).
20. The comparison of democratic success among East European post-Soviet countries. A case study of Poland, Hungary, Ukraine, and Estonia. 
21. The comparison of Russian military actions on the eastern border of Ukraine and North Georgia. What lessons should we learn?
22. Can cultural differences interfere in political cooperation? The case study of US and Korean diplomatic relations.
23. How does racism differ? The analysis of racism in the US, UK, and South Africa.
24. Vietnam war. How do Vietnam and the US view the conflict 45 years after it ended?
25. The competition for global dominance: the US vs. China. Does any of these countries deserve that much power?
26. The role of the UN in preserving peace in Afghanistan after US troops’ withdrawal. 
27. India vs. Pakistan. How the international support of Russia and the US defines the relations of these countries. 

Philosophical Research Topics for Political Science

You can’t go far without philosophy. Everything that we know about the political world comes from ancient philosophy. It was a science of the mind before it became the popularity contest that it is today. Overall, you can’t go wrong with choosing philosophical ideas here. First, philosophy is always neutral. It doesn’t take sides but rather analyzes them. Secondly, you can have more freedom of expression here. Philosophy encourages it. Here’s what you can write about in this category:

28. Modern politics have lost the true essence of democracy. What do we miss?
29. The differences in generations and their effect on political order. How the changing values build new reforms.
30. The original idea of populism and how it has changed over time. 
31. Does politics limit people’s freedom? In pursuit of safety, we grant our right to authoritative figures. How can we stop?
32. Why was the concept of nationalism doomed to fail from the start? The history of nation-building can explain it. 
33. The emergence and fall of socialist mentality. What went wrong with the popular ideology of the 20th century. 
34. Why do liberals become the new authoritarian figures? The analysis of the postmodern world. 
35. Is Plato’s political theory still relevant in today’s world? The example of recent American history will show.
36. Can the international society exist and flourish without politicians and other examples of hierarchical political order?