Political science, a field widely studied by AU students, is not worth federal support according to Sen. Tom A. Coburn, R-Okla., who proposed an amendment to cancel its funding Oct. 7.
In a controversial statement during the debate, Coburn said the federal grants for political-science research nourish debt that would “waterboard” future generations of children.
The proposal has caused severe backlash among the American Political Science Association, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Some members believe that even if it does not pass, its mere existence undermines social sciences’ value and place in society.
At AU, 42 percent of students are pursuing a degree in the social sciences, according to collegeboard.com.
Coburn believes the National Science Foundation should be giving its money to the “hard” sciences, such as math and engineering, said Don Tatro, his press secretary. The senator does not believe political science falls under NSF’s mission, which includes promoting breakthroughs to help people with disabilities, he said.
“What’s interesting is that the political scientists have become the very people they’re researching,” Tatro said.
APSA is now lobbying to keep the funding, which Coburn claims the government does not possess, he said.
“The reason the amendment exists is a listing of priorities,” Tatro said. “We don’t have money to be spending — on anything. They’re just pointing a finger and saying, ‘We need our money.’”
Karen O’Connor, a political science professor at AU, said she believes one of the reasons Coburn is opposed to the funding is because of its insular nature. NSF typically only distributes funding to large or prestigious universities, such as the University of Michigan’s American National Election Studies, she said. Therefore, a smaller school such as AU has almost no chance of receiving funds.
Additionally, O’Connor said political scientists do not want to be objectified, because they do, in fact, use science in their profession.
“It’s an easy target for him,” she said.
Peter Zuk, a graduate of the School of Public Affairs with a political science degree, does not regret his choice of study.
“I think government studies are an essential part of a basic liberal arts education. It’s an important degree,” he said. “It’s no different from studying economics, communication. It’s just a focus.”
When looking for a job, Zuk said it was useful to have a political science degree because of the massive political culture in D.C. For example, if he was applying to work in the office of a member of Congress, having a background in political science would show he understood the nature of the job.
“I understand where [Coburn] is coming from because many people see political science as a throw-away, pre-law degree,” he said.
O’Connor said AU students do not need to worry much about the amendment significantly affecting them if it does pass. Most people fund their political science projects using other sources and the federal funding usually ends up going to graduate rather than undergraduate programs.
“I would say stick with it,” Zuk said. “It really helps you understand the political process.”
You can reach this staff writer at srudnick@theeagleonline.com.
