The ‘Credo of Relevance’ in Post-Behaviouralism: Action-Oriented Political Science and Its Real-World Implications
Abstract
The emergence of post-behaviouralism in the late 1960s and early 1970s marked a critical shift in political science, responding to the perceived detachment and sterility of the behavioural revolution. Central to this intellectual movement was the “Credo of Relevance,” a call for political science to reengage with normative concerns and real-world political problems. This essay explores the origins, content, and significance of the Credo of Relevance in post-behavioural thought, and analyzes how it reshaped the discipline’s priorities by promoting action-oriented scholarship. It further assesses the implications for political scientists’ roles as public intellectuals, policy advisers, and agents of social change.
1. Introduction: From Behaviouralism to Post-Behaviouralism
The mid-20th century was dominated by the behavioural revolution in political science, a movement committed to making the discipline more “scientific.” Inspired by logical positivism and the methodology of the natural sciences, behaviouralism emphasized:
- Empirical observation,
- Quantification of political behavior,
- Value-neutral analysis,
- A focus on individual-level political attitudes and actions.
Figures like David Easton, Gabriel Almond, and Robert Dahl led this movement, seeking to build generalizable theories of political behavior based on observable facts.
However, by the late 1960s, the behavioural approach came under increasing criticism for its political and moral detachment. Amid global upheavals—such as the Vietnam War, civil rights struggles, and widespread social inequality—many scholars and students viewed behaviouralism as methodologically rigorous but substantively hollow, incapable of addressing urgent political crises.
In this context, post-behaviouralism emerged as a corrective movement, calling for a more engaged, relevant, and normative political science. At the heart of this shift was the Credo of Relevance, articulated most clearly by David Easton in his 1969 American Political Science Association (APSA) presidential address.
2. The Credo of Relevance: Principles and Commitments
The Credo of Relevance refers to a set of guiding principles in post-behaviouralist thought that emphasize the practical utility and moral responsibility of political science. Easton (1969) declared that “political science must become relevant” by addressing “urgent social problems” and contributing to the “resolution of the crises of our times.”
Key tenets of the Credo include:
- Action-orientation: Political science should not merely analyze the world but seek to change it for the better.
- Normative engagement: Scholars must grapple with ethical and value-laden questions, including justice, equity, and human rights.
- Responsiveness: The discipline must be responsive to the needs of society, especially marginalized groups and democratic institutions.
- Interdisciplinarity: Political science should draw from economics, sociology, philosophy, and history to address complex problems.
The credo represented a clear break from the behaviouralists’ insistence on value-neutrality and universal theory. Instead, it called for publicly engaged scholarship rooted in social responsibility.
3. Theoretical and Disciplinary Implications
The shift toward relevance had profound implications for how political science conceived of its purpose, methods, and audience.
a. Reconnection with Normative Theory
Post-behaviouralism encouraged a renewed interest in normative political theory, which had been marginalized during the behavioural era. Questions of justice, legitimacy, power, and the good society regained prominence, paving the way for the liberal-communitarian debate and the Rawlsian revival in political philosophy.
b. Focus on Real-World Issues
Post-behaviouralists emphasized that political science should tackle pressing global and domestic issues, including:
- Poverty and inequality,
- War and peace,
- Environmental degradation,
- Authoritarianism and democratic decline.
This led to the growth of subfields such as public policy, development studies, environmental politics, and gender studies, all of which prioritize real-world impact over theoretical elegance.
c. Redefining the Role of the Political Scientist
The political scientist, in the post-behaviouralist view, is not a detached observer but a participant in political life—an educator, a critic, and at times a reformer. This redefinition expanded the discipline’s audience beyond academia to include policymakers, civil society actors, and the informed public.
4. Case Studies in Action-Oriented Political Science
a. Participatory Democracy and Community Engagement
The post-behaviouralist emphasis on action inspired new research on participatory and deliberative democracy. Scholars such as Carole Pateman and Archon Fung have explored how citizen involvement in policymaking can deepen democratic governance and empower marginalized communities.
b. Political Science and Development
Post-behaviouralist scholars contributed significantly to development theory, linking political institutions to social and economic outcomes. The work of Amartya Sen, for example, bridges normative theory and empirical analysis to argue that freedom is both a means and an end of development.
c. Feminist and Postcolonial Interventions
The Credo of Relevance also opened the door to feminist, postcolonial, and critical race perspectives, which emphasized the lived experiences of historically excluded groups. These approaches challenged traditional paradigms and introduced intersectionality, standpoint theory, and subaltern studies as essential components of action-oriented research.
5. Critiques and Limitations
Despite its transformative impact, the Credo of Relevance has not been without critics.
- Risk of politicization: Critics argue that an overemphasis on relevance may compromise academic objectivity and lead to political bias.
- Loss of theoretical rigor: Some suggest that action-oriented research may sacrifice theoretical coherence in pursuit of practical impact.
- Ambiguity of “relevance”: What is considered “relevant” can vary widely across cultures, ideologies, and contexts, raising concerns about normative pluralism and epistemic relativism.
Nonetheless, defenders argue that all political research is inherently normative to some degree, and the only question is whether that normativity is acknowledged and critically assessed.
6. Legacy and Continuing Relevance
The Credo of Relevance continues to shape the discipline today, especially in light of global challenges such as:
- Democratic backsliding and populism,
- Climate change and environmental justice,
- Racial and gender inequality,
- Technological surveillance and data politics.
New movements like public political science, engaged scholarship, and decolonial political theory carry forward the post-behaviouralist legacy, affirming that political science must remain committed to both understanding and transforming the world.
7. Conclusion
The Credo of Relevance in post-behaviouralism represents a normative and methodological turning point in political science. It challenges the discipline to move beyond sterile empiricism and become an ethically grounded, socially responsive, and action-oriented field of inquiry. By reasserting the importance of public engagement, moral responsibility, and real-world impact, the Credo continues to inform how political scientists conduct research, teach, and engage with the broader political community.
As new crises emerge in global governance, democracy, and social justice, the Credo of Relevance remains a vital compass, urging scholars to align analytical rigor with ethical commitment and to make political science matter in the public sphere.
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