What is Social Science? Liberal Arts for Understanding Politics, Economics, and International Society

Social science is the study of understanding the mechanisms of society created by humans.

While natural science deals with the 'mechanisms of nature' such as physical laws and biological phenomena, social science deals with the mechanisms that arise from humans gathering together, such as nations, economies, companies, organizations, families, communities, media, and international relations.

We normally work at companies, pay taxes, go to elections, watch the news, buy products, and encounter information on social media. All of these are subjects of social science.

By studying social science, you can come to understand the events occurring in the news, at work, and in daily life as structures rather than mere emotional arguments.

Political Science—Who Decides the Rules?

Political science is the field that deals with power, the state, government, parliament, administration, policy, elections, democracy, international relations, and more.

Society always has rules. How should taxes be collected? How should social security be designed? How should diplomacy and security be judged? Who makes decisions during a disaster? Political science is about thinking through these questions.

Without knowing politics, news can only be understood superficially. Election results, party conflicts, policy debates, diplomatic issues, and local government challenges are all subjects of political science.

Political Thought

Political thought is the field that considers 'what kind of society is desirable.'

It deals with freedom, equality, justice, democracy, power, the state, individual rights, and more. The ideas of thinkers like Plato, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, and Arendt are also important for understanding modern politics.

By studying political thought, you can see that words like democracy and freedom are not just slogans, but are built upon a long accumulation of debate.

Comparative Politics

Comparative politics is the field that compares political systems and political cultures across different countries.

It deals with the differences between parliamentary and presidential systems, two-party and multi-party systems, democracy and authoritarianism, and the governance structures of developed and emerging nations.

Even within democracy, systems differ between Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. By studying comparative politics, you can see 'why political movements differ by country.'

Public Administration and Public Policy

Public administration and public policy is the field that deals with how governments create and implement policies.

Medical care, pensions, education, tax systems, disaster prevention, urban planning, energy policy, and measures against the declining birthrate are representative themes. Even if politicians decide on a direction, it is the administration that actually designs and operates the systems.

By studying public administration and public policy, you understand that social problems cannot be solved by 'idealism' alone, and that system design, budgeting, interest adjustment, and execution capability are crucial.

Elections and Democracy

Elections and democracy are fields that consider how the will of the people is reflected in politics.

Voter turnout, electoral systems, public opinion, political parties, media, populism, and political participation are key themes. Democracy is not established simply by holding elections. It only functions when there is free speech, fair institutions, oversight of power, and citizen participation.

Masterpieces of Political Science

The following books are representative entry points for studying political science.

Plato's 'Republic'
A classic that considers what justice is and what an ideal state should be.

Machiavelli's 'The Prince'
A classic of political thought that discusses how to realistically maintain power.

Hobbes's 'Leviathan'
An important work for considering state power and the social contract.

Tocqueville's 'Democracy in America'
A masterpiece that considers the possibilities and dangers of a democratic society.

Hannah Arendt's 'The Origins of Totalitarianism'
An essential book for understanding 20th-century totalitarianism.

Economics: How Money and Resources Move

Economics is the field that deals with money, labor, goods, resources, investment, consumption, inflation, interest rates, exchange rates, and capitalism.

At the heart of economics is the question of how to allocate limited resources. Human desires are vast, but resources such as time, labor, capital, land, and energy are finite. This is why mechanisms like prices, wages, profits, taxes, interest rates, and investments emerge.

Microeconomics

Microeconomics is the field that analyzes the movements of individuals, firms, and markets.

It covers supply and demand, prices, utility, costs, competition, monopoly, and game theory. Why product prices change at the supermarket, why companies raise or lower prices, and what consumers choose are all subjects of microeconomics.

Macroeconomics

Macroeconomics is the field that analyzes the economy of an entire country.

It covers GDP, business cycles, unemployment rates, inflation, interest rates, exchange rates, fiscal policy, and monetary policy. Bank of Japan interest rate policies, government economic measures, yen depreciation/appreciation, and price increases are all deeply related to macroeconomics.

Finance

Finance is the field that considers how money moves across time.

It deals with stocks, bonds, investment trusts, interest rates, risk, return, corporate value, and capital markets. It is essential for understanding asset formation, NISA, corporate financing, M&A, and stock price movements.

Public Economics and Public Finance

Public economics is the field that deals with how the government involves itself in the economy.

Taxes, social security, public works, education, healthcare, pensions, and redistribution are its themes. It considers to what extent the government should intervene in problems that the market alone cannot solve.

Behavioral Economics

Behavioral economics is the field that considers economic behavior based on the premise that humans do not always act rationally.

Loss aversion, cognitive bias, nudges, procrastination, overconfidence, and conformity are representative themes. It is also useful for understanding investment, purchasing, saving, consumption, and marketing.

Classic Books in Economics

The following books are representative entry points for learning economics.

Adam Smith, 'The Wealth of Nations': A classic for thinking about markets, division of labor, and capitalism.

Karl Marx, 'Das Kapital': An important book for thinking about the structure of capitalism, labor, exploitation, and class.

Keynes, 'The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money': A classic of macroeconomics for thinking about recessions, unemployment, and the role of government.

Hayek, 'The Road to Serfdom': An important work for thinking about liberalism, markets, and state intervention.

Daniel Kahneman, 'Thinking, Fast and Slow': A representative book of behavioral economics that connects psychology and economics.

International Relations and Geopolitics—Why Does the World Conflict?

International relations is the field for understanding the relationships between nations.

War, diplomacy, security, alliances, trade, energy, international organizations, refugees, the Global South, and US-China rivalry are representative themes.

In modern society, domestic issues and international issues cannot be separated. The situation in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, the Taiwan Strait, the Strait of Hormuz, US-China rivalry, energy prices, and food prices are events in distant countries, but at the same time, they are related to our lives.

International Political Theory

International relations theory is a field that considers how to explain the relationships between nations.

Representative examples include realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Realism posits that nations prioritize security and power. Liberalism emphasizes international organizations, trade, democracy, and the potential for cooperation. Constructivism argues that the actions of nations are also shaped by values and identity.

Security

Security is a field that considers how to protect nations and society from threats.

This includes military power, alliances, nuclear deterrence, cyberattacks, terrorism, economic security, and energy security. Modern security extends beyond the military to include semiconductors, communications, data, finance, and supply chains.

Geopolitics

Geopolitics is a way of interpreting international politics based on geographical conditions.

Is the country coastal or landlocked? Does it possess resources or depend on imports? Geographical conditions such as straits, ports, mountain ranges, plains, island nations, and continental states have a significant impact on national strategy.

The Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Malacca, the Taiwan Strait, the Black Sea, and the South China Sea are critical locations where geography and politics intersect.

International Political Economy

International political economy is a field that considers how international politics and economics are linked.

It deals with trade, exchange rates, resources, energy, financial sanctions, supply chains, global corporations, and international organizations. In the modern era, the economy is not merely market activity but has become national strategy itself.

Global South

The Global South is a broad concept that includes emerging and developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The modern world cannot be understood solely through the lens of the former developed-nation-centric international order. The presence of countries such as India, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, and nations in the Middle East is growing. Understanding the Global South is essential for understanding the future of international society.

International Relations and Geopolitics Classics

The following books are representative entry points for studying international relations.

Thucydides, 'History of the Peloponnesian War'
A classic that examines power politics and the fragility of alliances through the wars of ancient Greece.

Clausewitz, 'On War'
A classic of military thought that views war as an extension of politics.

Morgenthau, 'Politics Among Nations'
A seminal work for understanding realist international relations theory.

Kenneth Waltz, 'Man, the State, and War'
A book that considers the causes of war through three levels: the individual, the state, and the international system.

Joseph Nye, 'Soft Power'
A book that considers the influence of culture and values, beyond just military and economic power.

Henry Kissinger, 'Diplomacy' or 'World Order'
Representative works for understanding international order and great power diplomacy.

Management—How Do Companies Create Value?

Management is the field that considers how companies and organizations create value, grow, and sustain themselves.

In a capitalist society, companies are extremely important entities. Companies create products and services, generate employment, make profits, and provide value to society. On the other hand, they also create issues such as competition, bankruptcy, labor problems, fraud, and environmental impact.

Management Strategy

Management strategy is the field that considers which markets a company should enter, how it should compete, and how it should create a path to victory.

Themes include competitive advantage, differentiation, cost leadership, focus strategy, business portfolios, new business development, and M&A. For a company to grow, it is necessary not just to work hard, but to choose where to fight.

Marketing

Marketing is the field for delivering value to customers.

It covers market research, customer understanding, branding, pricing, advertising, sales channels, social media, and promotion. Whether a product sells depends not only on its quality but also on who it is delivered to and how.

Accounting and Finance

Accounting and finance is the field for understanding the flow of money in a company.

It covers sales, profits, expenses, assets, liabilities, cash flow, corporate value, investment decisions, and fundraising. It is essential knowledge for understanding corporate activities through numbers.

Human Resources and Organizational Behavior

Human resources and organizational behavior is the field that considers how people work within a company.

Themes include recruitment, evaluation, compensation, development, motivation, leadership, organizational culture, and teamwork. Companies do not run on systems alone; they are also driven by human emotions and relationships.

Operations and Innovation

Operations is the field for running daily business efficiently. It covers manufacturing, logistics, inventory management, quality control, business process improvement, and project management.

Innovation is a field that creates value through new technologies and business models. It is important for considering why established companies lag behind in change and why emerging companies grow.

Masterpieces of Management Studies

The following books are representative as entry points for studying management.

Peter Drucker, 'Management'
A representative work for thinking about companies, organizations, work, and results.

Michael Porter, 'Competitive Strategy'
A classic of management strategy for thinking about competitive advantage and industry structure.

Clayton Christensen, 'The Innovator's Dilemma'
A book for thinking about why excellent companies are defeated by disruptive innovation.

Peter Senge, 'The Fifth Discipline'
An important work for thinking about organizational learning and systems thinking.

Taiichi Ohno, 'Toyota Production System'
A masterpiece from Japan for thinking about on-site improvement, quality, and efficiency.

Sociology: How Do People Act Within Groups?

Sociology is the study of how humans act within groups and society, and what kinds of relationships and structures they create.

Family, school, company, region, city, social class, media, trends, community, gender, generation, and social media are representative themes.

The interest of sociology lies in questioning what appears to be taken for granted.

Family, Region, and Community

Family and region are the societies to which humans first belong.

It deals with family forms, marriage, child-rearing, local communities, cities and rural areas, migration, loneliness, and community formation. An individual's life is not determined solely by themselves, but is strongly influenced by family and region.

Social Class and Inequality

Social class and inequality is a field that considers how opportunities and resources are distributed within society.

Income, assets, educational background, occupation, region, and cultural capital are themes. It considers how social differences that cannot be explained by effort alone are born and reproduced.

City, Media, and Trends

Urban sociology considers how cities influence human relationships and lifestyles. Media sociology deals with how television, newspapers, social media, advertising, YouTube, and generative AI influence people's perceptions and values.

Trends and online controversies are not mere coincidences, but social phenomena born from people's desires, need for approval, imitation, and media structures.

Education, Schools, and Companies

Sociology of education considers how schools nurture people while simultaneously reproducing the hierarchical structure of society. Companies are also major social spaces for modern people.

When looking at schools and companies sociologically, it becomes clear that not only individual ability, but also institutions, evaluations, culture, human relationships, and role expectations have a significant impact.

Classic Works of Sociology

The following books are representative entry points for studying sociology.

Max Weber, 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism'
A classic of sociology that considers the relationship between religious ethics and capitalism.

Émile Durkheim, 'Suicide'
A masterpiece that analyzes the seemingly individual phenomenon of suicide from the perspective of social structure.

C. Wright Mills, 'The Sociological Imagination'
An introductory masterpiece for thinking about the connection between personal troubles and social structure.

Berger & Luckmann, 'The Social Construction of Reality'
A book that demonstrates that the reality we take for granted is socially constructed.

Pierre Bourdieu, 'Distinction'
An important book for considering the relationship between taste, class, and cultural capital.

Other Fields of Social Science

There are other important fields within social science.

Organizational Theory

Organizational theory is the field that deals with how companies and teams operate, and why they function well or, conversely, stagnate.

Organizational structure, authority design, decision-making, leadership, organizational culture, motivation, evaluation systems, and organizational learning are representative concepts.

Studying organizational theory allows one to view company problems not just as 'people being bad,' but as issues of structure, systems, roles, and culture.

Representative books include Herbert Simon's 'Administrative Behavior,' Chester Barnard's 'The Functions of the Executive,' and Edgar Schein's 'Organizational Culture and Leadership.'

Psychology

Psychology is the field that deals with human cognition, emotion, behavior, learning, decision-making, memory, and motivation.

There are many themes directly related to daily life and work, such as cognitive bias, habituation, stress, the desire for approval, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, and purchasing behavior.

Studying psychology allows you to understand your own and others' behavior not just through personality or willpower, but through cognitive habits, emotions, environment, and habits.

Representative books include William James's 'The Principles of Psychology,' Freud's 'The Interpretation of Dreams,' Kahneman's 'Thinking, Fast and Slow,' and Robert Cialdini's 'Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.'

Cultural Studies

Cultural studies is a field that deciphers the values, narratives, symbols, customs, religions, arts, fashion, food, subcultures, and media expressions shared by humans.

Studying cultural studies allows you to see movies, manga, music, advertisements, social media, trends, and food culture not just as entertainment, but as reflections of societal values.

Representative books include Benedict Anderson's 'Imagined Communities,' Clifford Geertz's 'The Interpretation of Cultures,' Stuart Hall's 'Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices,' and Marshall McLuhan's 'Understanding Media.'

The Meaning of Studying Social Science

The meaning of studying social science is to possess the ability to see the world through its structures.

• If you study politics, you will see power and rules.

• If you study economics, you will see the flow of money and resources.

• If you study international relations, you will see the world's conflicts and cooperation.

• If you study business administration, you will see the mechanisms by which companies create value.

• If you study sociology, you will see how humans behave within groups.

• If you study psychology, you will see the background of your own and others' behavior.

• If you study cultural studies, you will see daily entertainment and trends as a mirror of society.

We cannot stand outside of society.
That is precisely why knowing the mechanisms of society also leads to understanding your own life.

Social science is a map for living in the complex modern society.