Political science examines how political decisions are made and what effects they have. In doing so, it looks at the rules and the actors that influence these decisions. It uses a systematic approach to explain developments in local, national and international politics. Political scientists not only analyse how society phenomena can be explained, but also reflect on the extent to which they can be classified as just and desirable. Political science thus discusses how the coexistence of people is regulated and can be regulated in the best possible way. It sees it as its task to reveal the areas of tension in modern societies. The subject is divided into three sub-areas, but only together can political science gain knowledge: The history of ideas reflects on fundamental concepts and terms - such as freedom, justice or equality - and discusses how contemporary developments or conflicts can be understood. This reflection leads to a deep understanding of the normative foundations of political action, without which it is difficult to evaluate day-to-day politics. In order to be able to make well-founded judgements, however, reliable empirical findings are also necessary. Comparative systems studies, which is represented by two chairs in Regensburg, takes on this task. The field of international relations analyses how states and non-state actors interact. As most problems are currently no longer confined to the territory of a nation state - this applies to both climate change and the financial crisis - international politics is becoming increasingly important. The discipline of international relations analyses the possibilities as well as the limits of conflict resolution at an international or supranational level. The aim of the political science programme is to train our students to become good analysts so that they can explain society's problems and propose solutions.
