Open access
MONODISCIPLINARITY OR INTERDISCIPLINARITY AND MULTIDISCIPLINARITY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE – POSSIBILITIES AND BOUNDARIES
Eugeniusz PONCZEK1
Methodological Inquiries
Publication language: Polish
Journal article
Transformations No. 1-2 (68-69) 2011, Publication date: 12 May 2011
Abstract The question of crossing the boundary of political science by a research scien tist and entering completely new research areas, which involves accepting a new look at "the world of politics", its explantation and narration in a multi disciplinary way, is becoming essential. Such "transgressions" are by all means needed in view of creative-innovative, methodological and substantive requirements. The above issue involves an interdisciplinary or even multidisciplinary ap proach which may be a consequence of choice of specific topics and making use of appropriate concepts. These include categories and using a specific way of narration and explication, as well as making use of appropriately selected research methods and techniques. The scope and depth of interpenetration of individual scientific disciplines and the consequences related with it are very important issues. It appears obvious that there may arise a new research quality. This depends in no small way on intellectual "openness" and the possibility of making use of other disciplines’ scientific achievements. Last but not least is the cognitive interest amplitude of one or another political scientist and their openness to holistic analysis and multifaceted explanations. Political science supradisciplinarity is frequently mentioned, which is tantamount to its optimum wide and multifaceted approach. This also means the appearance of such circumstances as to the possibility of political science problems falling within the scope of such sciences as history, jurisprudence, sociology, philosophy, as well as psychology, pedagogy, semiology and geography, and even theology, religious studies and cultural anthropology.In connection with all this there arises a question: would a far reaching multidisciplinarity or even supradisciplinarity not mean that political scientists interfer in the research scopes of other humanities and social sciences? The following question about the political science boundaries determining the range of political identity of a person dealing with political science research may also appear important.
Zakład Teorii Polityki i Myśli Politycznej oraz Pracowni Irenologii, Instytut Studiów Politologicznych, Wydział Studiów Międzynarodowych i Politologicznych Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
E-mail: genezo@uni.lodz.pl