It is my pleasure to present the book “An Introduction to Political Science” to the students of the Department of Political Science at the University of Applied Sciences – Kingdom of Bahrain, and to political science students throughout the Arab world. I have sought, as much as possible, to ensure that the book includes all the topics that a beginner student studying political science should be familiar with. Non-specialists in the field of political science may also find in this book useful material that helps them understand and comprehend the political reality in which they live, whether at the level of domestic or foreign policies. The book has been divided into an introduction and five chapters. The first chapter, which is an introductory chapter, discusses the concept of politics linguistically and terminologically. It also addresses the definition of political science, its fields, the approaches used in its study, as well as its relationship with other sciences. The second chapter, entitled “Political Thought and Political Theory,” discusses the general features of political thought, the circumstances in which it emerged, and the most important thinkers and philosophers who made significant contributions to political thought. In this chapter, the author examines Greek political thought, Roman political thought, Christian political thought in the Middle Ages, political thought during the Renaissance and the Reformation, Islamic political thought, as well as the most important ideas and thinkers of the modern and contemporary eras. In addition, the chapter discusses the concept of nationalism and the nation-state, as well as theories of the origin of the state and the functions of the state. The third chapter addresses political systems, explaining the concept of the political system, the concept and types of constitutions, public authorities and the relationships among them, the concept of sovereignty, types of states, and forms of government. The fourth chapter discusses issues of political sociology, including the relationship between the state and society, the concept of political socialization, political culture, the concept of political parties and their types, pressure and interest groups, and public opinion. The final chapter addresses international relations, including its concept and research approaches, the concept of national interest, elements of state power, the concept of foreign policy, methods and means of implementing it, stages of development of the international system, international organizations, as well as the concept of international relations in Islamic thought. The book also includes a number of terms related to the study of political science and their equivalents in English, with the aim of helping students access and benefit from some English-language sources. I ask Almighty God to make this work sincerely dedicated to Him and to place it among the good deeds on the Day when neither wealth nor children will benefit, except those who come to God with a sound heart. May God’s peace, blessings, and grace be upon the best of His creation, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and companions. Author  Table of Contents SubjectPageA Noble Verse ………………………………………………………………… Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………. Preface ………………………………………………………………….. Introduction ………………………………………………………………… Chapter One: Defining Politics and Political ScienceResearch Methods in Political Science Chapter Two: Political Thought and Political Theory Preface ……………………………………………………………………Chapter Three: Political Systems Preface……………………………………………………………………. The Concept of the Political System………………………………………………………Chapter Four: Political Sociology Preface……………………………………………………………………………… Civil Society………………………………………………………………………..Chapter Five: International Relations  Preface……………………………………………………………………………… The Concept of International Relations……………………………………………………………….

Preface …………………………………………………………………..
Definition of Politics……………………………………………………………
Definition of Political Science………………………………………………………..
Fields of Political Science……………………………………………………….
The Relationship Between Political Science and Other Sciences ……………………………………….
First: Western Political Thought
A: Greek Political Thought………………………………………………….
B: Roman Political Thought…………………………………………………
C: Christian Political Thought in the Middle Ages………………………………..
D: Political Thought in the Era of Religious Reformation and the Renaissance …………………………….
Second: Islamic Political Thought
Political Theory: Basic Concepts
First: The Concept of the State…………………………………………………………………….
A. The Nature of the State …………………………………………………………..
B. The Origin of the State ………………………………………………………….
C. Functions of the State ………………………………………………………..
Second: Nationalism ……………………………………………………………..
A. Definition of Nationalism …………………………………………………………..
B. Elements of Nationalism………………………………………………………….
The Constitution ………………………………………………………………….
Types of Constitutions…………………………………………………………….
Public Authorities……………………………………………………………
Types of States:
First: The Fully Sovereign State …………………………………………………..
Second: The Non-Sovereign State ………………………………………………….
Forms of Government:
First: Monarchical Government and Republican Government………………………………………..
Second: Individual, Aristocratic, and Democratic Government ………………………………….
Third: Non-Democratic Systems of Government ……………………………………………
Fourth: Systems of Government in Developing Countries…………………………………………..
Fifth: The Concept of Good Governance………………………………………………….
Sixth: The Concept of the System of Government in Islam…………………………………………
Political Socialization and Political Culture………………………………………………………
Political Parties……………………………………………………………………
Pressure Groups and Interest Groups…………………………………………………………….
Public Opinion………………………………………………………………………….
Research Methods in International Relations………………………………………………………
National Interest……………………………………………………………………..
Elements of State Power……………………………………………………………………
Foreign Policy…………………………………………………………………….
The Development of the International System…………………………………………………………………..
International Organization
The Concept and Origin of International Organizations:
The League of Nations………………………………………………………………………..
The United Nations……………………………………………………………………….
Regional Organizations:
The Arab League………………………………………………………………….
The Gulf Cooperation Council……………………………………………………….
Glossary of Terms
List of Sources and References
Table of Contents