This volume investigates the transition of political science toward a more rigorous, empirical theoretical framework. Edited by Ithiel de Sola Pool, the collection gathers contributions from prominent scholars to evaluate the state of the discipline during a period of methodological shift. The text argues for the integration of quantitative data and systematic observation to replace purely normative or descriptive approaches in political analysis.

Experts recognize this work as a significant document in the history of behavioral political science. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which reflects the formal scholarly standards of its era.