How Much Politics Is There? Students' Understandings of the Role of Values in Political Science

• In Event: 52.084 - Roundtable Session 20
  In Roundtable Session: 52.084-4 - Reimagining Social Science Learning

Abstract

One of the specific characteristics of the political science subject is the inherent existence of values. This characteristic poses a range of challenges for everyone involved in political science teaching. However, there seems to be a lack of interest on how this effects teaching political science in more detail as well as a lack of interest in how students experience this situation. In this paper we show how values within the discipline constitutes a learning dilemma for the students as they oscillate between different ways of making sense of the existence of values, and use different, equally unproductive, strategies to handle the dilemma. We believe these results are important in advancing our understanding of learning political science and improving instruction.

Authors

• Linda Ekstrom, Luleå University of Technology

• Cecilia H. Lundholm, Stockholm University