This study emphasizes the importance of assessing the state of political science within Arab academic institutions. It posits that the humanities and social sciences, particularly political science, play a pivotal role in the advancement of any society. Pedagogical experience at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, as well as the studies and seminars organized by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, have demonstrated that there is a gap in our knowledge on this subject – as well as a need to evaluate the output of Arab universities and the extent to which they are equipping students to engage with the political sciences to a world standard. Drawing on observations from both the Arab region and beyond, the study examines the multifaceted crisis affecting education and research in this field. This crisis stems from the relatively recent introduction of political science in the Arab World, a failure to keep up with international developments in the field, and the political, economic, social, and structural obstacles that have prevented it from achieving its broader objectives. The study argues that the primary obstacle to the success of political science in the region is the absence of an Arab academic community.
* This study was published in the 17th issue of
AlMuntaqa, a peer-reviewed academic journal for the social sciences and humanities. You can read the full paper
here.
