World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Political Studies
H-index 23

Political Studies

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Political Science 18 65 64 22

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 73
Documents by Best Scientists*: 71
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 10
SCIMAGO H-index: 110
SCIMAGO SJR: 1.967
Impact Factor: 2.8

Overview

Top Research Topics at Political Studies?

The objective of Political Studies is to combine knowledge in the areas of Politics, Law, Political economy, Public administration and Democracy. In addition to Politics research, it aims to explore topics under Epistemology, Social science and Positive economics. Political Studies facilitates discussions on Law that incorporate concepts from other fields like Argument and Law and economics.

Political Studies explores issues in Political economy which can be linked to other research areas like Development economics and Economic system. It connects the study in Public administration with the closely related area of Government.

  • Politics (34.71%)
  • Law (24.06%)
  • Political economy (19.90%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Political Science and the Three New Institutionalisms (4058 citations)
  • The New Governance: Governing Without Government (2631 citations)
  • Who Learns What from Whom: a Review of the Policy Transfer Literature (1339 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Political Studies:

The most cited papers are mainly concerned with subjects like Politics, Law, Political economy, Public administration and Democracy. The journal papers facilitate discussions on Politics that incorporate concepts from other fields like Social psychology, Positive economics, Public relations, Epistemology and Social science. Development economics, Economic system and Voting are some topics wherein Political economy research discussed in the published papers has an impact.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Law
  • World War II
  • Politics

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

Political Studies facilitates discussions on Political economy, Politics, Democracy, Deliberation and Deliberative democracy. The journal explores topics in Political economy which can be helpful for research in disciplines like Opposition (politics), Government, Referendum, Public opinion and Brexit. In Political Studies, Representation (politics), Distrust and Position (finance) are investigated in conjunction with one another to address concerns in Government research.

Politics research presented in it encompasses a variety of subjects, including Positive economics and Media studies. The tackled Democracy research is interrelated with Public administration which concerns subjects like Cabinet (file format). The subject of Epistemology, which is connected to the field of Public sphere and Post truth, serves as the foundation of the Deliberative democracy research featured in it.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Truth, Deliberative Democracy, and the Virtues of Accuracy: Is Fake News Destroying the Public Sphere?: (9 citations)
  • Seeing the Other Side? Perspective-Taking and Reflective Political Judgements in Interpersonal Deliberation: (6 citations)
  • Glass Cliffs or Partisan Pressure? Examining Gender and Party Leader Tenures and Exits: (5 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Political Studies (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Ron Johnston (15 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • David Miller (13 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition,
  • Ian McAllister (13 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Iain McLean (12 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Terrell F Carver (11 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Political Studies (based on the number of publications) are:

  • University of Oxford (128 papers) published 7 papers at the last edition, 4 more than at the previous edition,
  • London School of Economics and Political Science (106 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • University of Manchester (87 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of Essex (80 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition, 2 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of Sheffield (66 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition, 2 less than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 19.83% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 17.53% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 9.28% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 17.53% of all publications and 55.67% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

How to Begin Your Career in Political Studies

If you are interested in pursuing Political Studies, it is crucial to understand the process of how to start your career in this field. Having a degree in political science, law, economics or a related field can often be the first step toward professions in this sector. You might also want to consider doing specific courses or certifications associated with your preferred specialization within political studies. The typical job roles for professionals in Political Studies can range from being political scientists, researchers, public administrators, legislative assistants, political consultants, lawyers, and even, librarians specializing in political studies. If you are particularly interested in the latter, understanding how to become a librarian specializing in political studies can be beneficial. For example, if you are living in Indiana, knowing how to be a school librarian in Indiana could be a suitable starting point for you. In a broader sense, it's not just about securing a job title, but also about cultivating skills associated with in-depth research, critical thinking, and public speaking. These skills will be highly beneficial in your career advancement. Remember, to thrive in the field of Political Studies, continuous learning due to the ever-changing political and economic climate is essential. Staying updated with the latest research topics, being proactive and open to new opportunities, can significantly enhance your career in Political Studies.

Top Publications

  • Cancel Culture: Myth or Reality?:

    Pippa Norris

    (2021)
    165 Citations
  • How is Political Violence Gendered? Disentangling Motives, Forms, and Impacts:

    Gabrielle Bardall;Elin Bjarnegård;Jennifer M Piscopo

    (2020)
    117 Citations
  • Populism as a Political Strategy: An Approach’s Enduring — and Increasing — Advantages:

    Kurt Weyland

    (2021)
    93 Citations
  • How Are Political Institutions Gendered

    Vivien Lowndes

    (2020)
    76 Citations
  • The Potentials and Difficulties of Transnational Populism: The Case of the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25):

    Benjamin De Cleen;Benjamin Moffitt;Panos Panayotu;Yannis Stavrakakis

    (2020)
    69 Citations
  • Designing Democratic Innovations as Deliberative Systems: The Ambitious Case of NHS Citizen:

    Rikki Dean;John Boswell;Graham Smith

    (2020)
    58 Citations
  • The good politician and political trust: An authenticity gap in British politics?

    Viktor Orri Valgarðsson;Nick Clarke;Will Jennings;Gerry Stoker;Gerry Stoker

    (2021)
    55 Citations
  • Brexistential Angst and the Paradoxes of Populism: On the Contingency, Predictability and Intelligibility of Seismic Shifts

    Colin Hay

    (2020)
    51 Citations
  • Emanating Effects: The Impact of the Oregon Citizens’ Initiative Review on Voters’ Political Efficacy

    Katherine R Knobloch;Michael L Barthel;John Gastil

    (2020)
    50 Citations
  • Objective Conditions Count, Political Beliefs Decide: The Conditional Effects of Self-Interest and Ideology on Redistribution Preferences

    (2021)
    38 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Studying Political Science in the USA opens doors to diverse career paths, many of which intersect with criminal justice, law, and psychology. For students interested in justice administration, exploring a criminal justice degree cost is essential to plan their education budget effectively. This degree often serves as a foundation for roles in law enforcement, policy analysis, and government agencies.

Beginners or those looking to enter the field quickly can consider the best online associate degree programs in criminal justice. These programs offer practical knowledge with flexible scheduling, ideal for students balancing other commitments.

For graduates wanting to expand their expertise, pursuing forensic psychology graduate programs online provides specialized insight into the psychological aspects of crime, useful for careers in counseling, profiling, or research.

Additionally, accelerated credentials like an accelerated paralegal program prepare students for legal support roles in a short time frame, enhancing employability in law firms or corporate legal departments.

Integrating these related disciplines builds a versatile skill set that enhances career prospects for Political Science students in today's competitive job market.

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