The Political Scientist as a Critical Friend: A Comment on Flinders

In liberal democracies, the very essence of political science is to be a critical friend. It is both legitimate and rewarding to engage in policy relevant studies. It is not banal, technocratic, or oppressive to do research into pressing social issues and to provide advice on the effectiveness or desirability of policy interventions, or to evaluate existing policy programmes. And is not a Faustian bargain to train thousands of students each year to become professional policy advisors, civil servants, and politicians. On the contrary, well-trained civil servants and policy staff are crucial for the vitality and survival of liberal democracies. What matters, both for the individual scholar and at the disciplinary level, is the right balance between hands-on practical impact and critical distance.