Political Science Optional Syllabus for UPSC-International Relations

Political Science and International Relations Syllabus:

Paper-I:

1. Political Theory and Indian Politics:
   • Political Theory: Concepts and Debates
   • Theories of the State: Liberal, Neoliberal, Marxist, Pluralist, Feminist, Post-Colonial and Postmodern.
   • Justice: Conceptions of justice with special reference to Rawl’s theory of justice and its communitarian critiques.
   • Equality: Social, political and economic; relationship between equality and freedom; Affirmative action.
2. Indian Political Thought:
   • Dharamshastra: Kautilya and Manu
   • Medieval and Modern:
     • Machiavelli,
     • Hobbes,
     • Locke,
     • John Stuart Mill,
     • Marx,
     • Ambedkar.
3. Western Political Thought:
   • Plato
   • Aristotle
   • Machiavelli
   • Hobbes
   • Locke
   • John Stuart Mill
   • Marx
   • Gramsci
   • Hannah Arendt
4. Comparative Politics:
   • Comparative method
   • Nature and major approaches to the study of comparative politics: political economy, political sociology, political psychology and institutionalism.
   • State in comparative perspective: characteristics and changing nature of the State in capitalist and socialist economies, and, advanced industrial and developing societies.

Paper-II:

1. Comparative Politics and International Relations:
   • Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics.
   • Evolution of the International Economic System
   • Theories of International Relations: Realism, Liberalism, Marxism, Constructivism.
   • The Cold War and the New Cold War Era, Theories of conflict and conflict resolution.
2. International Relations:
   • International Relations since the Second World War.
   • The United Nations: its problems and prospects.
   • International Law and Organization.
   • The Globalization of World Politics.
3. Indian Government and Politics:
   • Salient features of the Indian Constitution
   • Historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
   • Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
   • Representation of people’s act.
4. Public Administration:
   • Evolution of Indian Administration
   • Philosophical and Constitutional framework of government
   • Public Sector Undertakings

Remember, the syllabus may be subject to change, so it’s crucial to verify the latest information from official sources.