Political Science Books for UPSC CSE

Political Science BOOK LIST - MAINS: PAPER-I BOOKS

Political science and International Relations

Paper 1

Section A: Political Theory

Essential Readings:

• “An Introduction to Political Theory” by O.P Gauba.7^TH EDITION, Mayur Publication

• “Political Theory: An Introduction” by Rajeev Bhargava and Ashok Acharya, 2^nd edition, Pearson.

• “A History of Political Thought: Plato to Marx” by Subrata Mukherjee and Sushila Ramaswamy.

• “Western Political Thought: From Socrates to the age of Ideology” by Brian. R. Nelson.

• IGNOU BOOKLET MPSE-004 Social and Political Thought in Modern India

• “Modern Indian Political Thought: Text and Context” by Bidyut Chakrabarty and Rajendra Kumar Pandey.

Additional Readings:

• “Politics” by Andrew Heywood.

• “Political Theory: An Introduction” by Andrew Heywood.

• “Key Concepts in Politics” by Andrew Heywood.

• “Political Ideologies: An Introduction” by Andrew Heywood.

• “Western Political Thought: From Plato to Marx” by Shefali Jha.

• “Indian Political Thought: Themes and Thinkers” by M. P. Singh and Himanshu Roy.

Section B: Indian Government and Politics

Essential Readings:

• “India’s Struggle for Independence” by Bipin Chandra.

• “Introduction to the Constitution of India” by Dr Durga Das Basu.

• “Indian Government and Politics” by A.S.Narang, Geetanjali Publication

• “The Oxford Companion to Politics in India” by Niraja Gopal Jayal and Pratap Bhanu Mehta.

Additional Readings:

• “Politics in India” by Rajni Kothari.

• “Our Parliament: An Introduction to Parliament of India” by Subhash C. Kashyap.

• “Our Constitution: An Introduction to India’s Constitution and Constitutional Law” by Subhash C. Kashyap.

Paper 2

Section A: Comparative Politics and International Relations

Essential Readings:

• “The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations” by John Baylis, Steve Smith and Patricia Owens.

• “Global Politics” by Andrew Heywood.

• “Theories of Comparative Politics: The Search for a Paradigm Reconsidered” by Ronald H. Chilcote.

• IGNOU notes on Comparative Politics.

Additional Readings:

• “Theories of International Relations” by Palgrave publications.

• “The Oxford Handbook of International Relations” by Christian Reus-Smit and Duncan Snidal.

• “Understanding International Relations” by Chris Brown and Kirsten Ainley.

• “Introduction to International Relations: Theories and Approaches” by Georg Sorenson and Robert Jackson.

Section B: India and the World

Essential Readings:

• Indian Foreign Policy: An Overview  by Harsh Pant  

• International Relations- Mcgraw Hill education

• “IDSA website should be followed for articles.

• MEA website should be regularly followed for updates and articles.

• IR editorials should be followed in The Hindu and TheIndian Express.

Additional Readings:

• The Oxford Handbook of Indian Foreign Policy” by David M. Malone, C Raja Mohan and Srinath Raghvan.