A Loss of Purpose? Sartori and the Current State of Political Science

Abstract

This article revisits Giovanni Sartori's seminal critique of political science, examining its relevance in the contemporary context. It acknowledges the significant advancements in political science since the early 1990s, particularly in the sophistication of concepts, methods, and data and questions the idea that social sciences can match the 'hard' sciences. Sartori's four identified errors — parochialism, misclassification, degreeism, and conceptual stretching — are critically engaged with, providing a nuanced assessment of their persistence and evolution over time. The article, originally conceived as a lecture for the Annual Congress of the Società Italiana di Scienza Politica, adopts an autobiographical perspective to extend Sartori's critique to broader contemporary issues in political science, advocating for a more constructive approach in addressing these enduring challenges.