Directions of development of research on political thought - an introduction to the discussion of the issues

Abstract

The authors present areas of research on political thought analyzed primarily by Polish scholars, while also taking into account research conducted in other countries. At the same time they search for an answer to the question whether the Polish research on political thought differs from the trends observed in other countries. The article presents various views on the very definition of political thought and related categories, such as doctrine or ideology. By analyzing various theoretical approaches to the study of political thought in Poland, the authors attempt to answer the question of whether it is possible to organize research methods and techniques so that they constitute a universal model to be used by researchers. In the authors' opinion, the discussion about the subject of political thought in Poland will continue, as will the search for a definition that distinguishes political thought from ideology and political doctrine. Furthermore, despite the development of different types of research techniques, e.g. data analysis (Big data), academics will still undertake research that explains and structures the world of political thinking, inscribing it into different streams of political thought.