We explain that what is the difference between political science and sociology with table. Both political science and sociology deal with human society. The two terms comprise human behavior and comprise the fundamental aspects of human life in a community.
Sociology helps to understand the structure and functioning of human beings in a group. It is a form of social studies, which looks at human interaction and all aspects of a human being’s life as they change and grow.
Political science is considered a deeper section of sociology that deals with politically organized groups in society and how the role of that organism affects the functioning of other human beings in the community.
The difference between political science and sociology is that the former deals only with political and government roles in society, while the latter deals with all aspects of human society as a whole.
Comparison table between political science and sociology (in tabular form)
Comparison parameters Political science Sociology
| Coinage of term | Introduced by Aristotle, “The father of political science”, between 428 / 427–348 / 347 BC. C. | Coined by the French essayist Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, in the year 1780, and developed by Auguste Comte. |
| Scale | Political science is a smaller branch of sociology that deals with a limited field of interest. | Sociology constitutes one of the many branches of studies on human society on a broader scale. |
| Sense | It deals with the functioning, theory and analysis of political systems in a society. | Sociology takes into account all aspects of the behavior, interaction and functioning of human society. |
| Type of study | In political science, the study has a purely political basis, that is, it is based entirely on philosophical and historical methods. | In Sociology, due to its broader scope, studies are carried out in a sociological, political and even psychological way. |
| Components treated | Political science only deals with government and state agencies. | Sociology deals with all communities, associations, institutions, both social and political. |
What is political science?
The term Political Science took root in the Macedonian Empire, where the great philosopher Aristotle first coined the term, and is therefore known as the “Father of Political Science.”
It is defined as the study of the political and governing systems of a society and how they function and interact with each other. In this case, the research is mainly focused on governmental, state, local and international law bodies.
Political science deals strictly with the organized aspect of society on a political level, and therefore, during this study, man is considered a political rather than a social animal. This ensures that every motive and action of a human being in a society is purely political.
Within Political Science we have a branch called “comparative political studies” that deals with comparing different political systems to judge in which method people work best and defend the values of equality, freedom and justice.
“Comparative political studies” are often divided into two necessary frameworks. In the first, taking into account individual institutions and law-abiding systems and comparing their existence and operation in different countries / nations.
Therefore, we will learn how the governing body works in different settings. The second framework is done by searching for a governing body in a single nation to get an in-depth analysis of the work that is being done. This would put the political system under a microscope and allow academics to learn from mistakes.
What is sociology?
The term Sociology was coined in 1780, by the French essayist Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, when he was completing his unpublished manuscript. But, in 1838, the “Father of sociology”, Auguste Comte, came on the scene when he reinvented the term and developed it further.
Sociology is carried out on a broader scale, considering that it is the study of the various interactions, functioning, behaviors of human beings in a society. Here all aspects are taken into account, be they scientific, political, social, etc.
Man is seen as a social animal, requiring all parts of society to function. Here the structure of society and how humanity thrives on that structure is put under a microscope.
Sociology must inevitably take into account the political aspect of society, since the political structure is the basis of civilization. Sociology examines communities, institutions both on a social and political scale.
The above perspectives give us an understanding of necessary human behavior and help to get an idea of how human beings would function without the existence of these factors.
Main differences between political science and sociology
- Political science is an ancient concept, coined during the ancient Greek era by Aristotle. Sociology is a much newer concept invented by the French essayist Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès and reinvented by Auguste Comte.
- Political science is a smaller and limited study and is included in Sociology; while sociology is a broader study and encompasses many branches under it.
- Political science deals with the functioning, theory and analysis of political and government systems in a society. Sociology takes into account all the criteria for the basis of the study of humanity, to study its behavior and functioning in a community.
- Political science is a purely political-based study based on historical and civic perspectives, while sociology studies are conducted in a social, political, and even psychological way.
- Political science only deals with governmental, state, local and international bodies, while sociology deals with all communities, associations, institutions, both social and political.
Final Thought
Political science and sociology are two concepts that are heavily invested in the study of humanity in society through various perspectives. Political science takes into account the political systems that are at stake in the community, such as governing bodies at all levels, whether at the state, local or even international level.
While sociology is defined as the complete study of humanity and its behavior, how one would function in society, taking into account the various factors such as psychological, social and even political components are at play. Sociology as a whole encompasses even studies conducted in political science, because academics cannot ignore the role that politics plays in society and therefore why sociology is considered an integral concept for studying humanity.
