Bachelor 2025/2026

Introduction to Political Science

Type: Compulsory course (HSE University and Kyung Hee University Double Degree Programme in Economics and Politics in Asia)

Delivered by: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs

When: 1 year, 1, 2 module

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Eriks Varpahovskis

Language: English

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This is an obligatory course for the HSE x Kyung Hee University Double Degree Programme. This course is an introduction to political science. In this course, key concepts in political science, subfields of political science, the historical development of key ideas in political science, and research methods in political science will be discussed. An important component of this course is that key concepts and paradigms in political science will be explored through actual case studies, predominantly in Asian context. From a theoretical perspective, questions such as the following will be addressed and discussed: What is political science? What is power in political relations? What are and how do political ideologies work? What are the state and the nation? What kinds of political systems are there? What is the relationship between Political Science and International Relations? What is political culture and public opinion and what is their relevance in making domestic and foreign policy decisions? What is the role of the bureaucracy in the functioning of the state? What is mass political communication? What is global governance? What is political economy? This course aims to equip the student with basic political systems analysis skills, so the course will deal with multiple, practical cases to analyze them through the concepts that are being explored. Moreover, the course aims to stimulate critical thinking about political science concepts and their applicability in different contexts (both Western and Asian).