The political scientist as politician. Political science as commitment, vocation and action

Abstract

 The title of my article is somewhat misleading. I never was and never wanted to be a “politico”. By chance and, perhaps, virtue, I consider it a great honor and a high distinction to have been the first Italian Professor of Political Science to be elected as Senator to the Italian Parliament, for three terms 1983-1987; 1987-1992; 1994-1996. My reflections on why, when, and how will hopefully throw some light on Italian politics and on political science in general and, of course, on the relationship between politics and political science and viceversa. There may follow some lessons for the profession and the discipline, for politics and the political actors. Many of those lessons I have tried to transfer into my writings. Hence, the readers will find references to the articles and books I have written during my productive life. In this article, my writings are intended to illuminate the problems I will be discussing, to identify the sources of my thinking and to suggest what remains to be done. Fortunately, or not in politics and in the study of politics, always and everywhere a lot remains to be done with old and new problems, looking for old, and forgotten, and new teachings. Political science is not the only answer, but it is the one I have practiced and still consider the most promising, preferable, and intellectually and politically the most rewarding.