Political Science Booklist for UPSC Mains

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 The Indian Express.

Additional Readings:

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