Political Theory is a thematic area where one partly develops and applies normative political theory, and partly performs analyses of political concepts and means of explanation in descriptive Political Science.
Political Theory is divided into four sub-areas:
- Analysis of political ideas
- Political ethics and normative theory
- Constitutional studies
- Philosophy of science
Analysis of political ideas
This area concerns ideas from scholarly philosophy as well as from the public debate. The focus of study in this area is construction of arguments and the direction of communication, as well as the psychological dimension of political opinion formation.
Political ethics and normative theory
Social and political justice within and between states is the focus of this area of study. This covers a diverse range of questions from prioritization in the health sector, or distribution of territory, to selection of political means – such as economic sanctions and use of military power – or the shaping of institutional guidelines.
Constitutional studies studies the Norwegian political system and runs comparative studies of constitutions. Of particular interest is democratic theory and democratic forms of government. This covers the relationship between bodies of authority on varying levels – from local to global.
Philosophy of science
Themes in this area run the gamut from epistemological questions related to empirical reasoning and explanations of agency, to ontological analysis of institutions and other social phenomena.