The Sum Of Its Parts

Here's how history, political science, and philosophy come together to shape my degree. Explore how these fields intersect and inform my future endeavours.

Introduction

Interdisciplinarity is necessary to understand a complex world in fields that engage human decision-making, morality, institutions, and systems of power. As a student finishing up a Joint bachelor's degree in history and political science with coursework in Philosophy, I'm constantly switching between different academic "lenses" in order to understand how societies function, how people justify their choices, and how structures of authority develop. Each discipline taught me a particular way of questioning, interpreting, and evaluating human behaviour. This matters deeply to my personal and professional goals. I want to honour my father's legacy-his love for political understanding pursue my own dream of becoming a corporate lawyer who protects people, land, and businesses with integrity. Understanding the past, the political systems that shape decisions, and the philosophical foundation of justice gives me a more holistic perspective on the law. Interdisciplinarity is thus not only an academic requirement; it is the bedrock of the kind of lawyer I aspire to become: one who understands people, contexts, institutions, and ethical responsibilities all at once.

A historical lens

History is the academic discipline devoted to studying human experiences, societies, and change over time. By interpreting primary sources, such as letters, government documents, newspapers, oral histories, and artifacts, historians employ methods like archival research, contextual analysis, and historiography-the study of how interpretations of the past evolve. (1) History emerged into a distinct discipline in the nineteenth century, especially through scholars like Leopold von Ranke, who made a call for empirical evidence and objectivity. (2) At its strongest, history teaches critical interpretation-the ability to evaluate bias-and provides an understanding of how cultures, political systems, and economies develop through conflict, cooperation, and transformation. For example, courses like The Historian's Craft and Europe in the 20th Century train students to analyze how wars, revolutions, migration, and colonialism shape modern legal and political systems. Yet history also has limits. Historians are bound by surviving evidence-meaning that the voices of women, Indigenous communities, and a host of other marginalized people have gone unheard or been only partially documented. And when it comes to historical events, historians can and do disagree about interpretation, which makes the field seem subjective. Moreover, some historical narratives have been tainted by colonial or Eurocentric biases that contemporary scholars work hard to critique. Still, history offers an essential view into the world by explaining how it became this way. For my future career as a corporate lawyer, historical thinking will allow me to identify patterns in the institutions, understand the contexts of when laws were created, and learn how injustices from centuries ago shape modern legal issues involving land claims, corporate responsibility, and Indigenous rights. History gives me context-and context is a serious tool for any lawyer who wants to plead a case both ethically and effectively.

The political landscape

Political Science is the systematic study of power, governance, institutions, and political behaviour. It seeks to explain how societies make decisions, how leaders gain legitimacy, and how policies shape everyday life. Political scientists use a wide array of methods: qualitative research, case studies, surveys, statistical analysis, interviews, and institutional analysis. (3) The discipline developed in the early twentieth century as universities began separating political research from philosophy and law, emphasizing empirical methods and scientific approaches. (4) Through my courses such as Introduction to Canadian Politics, Comparative Politics, Foundations in Political Science, and Politics and Globalization, I have learned to analyze how governments function, why policies succeed or fail, and how power operates across different societies. One of the strong points of Political Science is the understanding of systems, laws, and structures of decision-making. It explains how public policy is created, how states interact, and how political ideologies shape conflicts. These skills are very helpful for a person who intends to practice corporate law, which requires one to understand legislation, regulatory frameworks, and the political interests behind them. Political Science also illustrates how institutions influence economic systems, such as markets, corporations, and international trade. Yet, the discipline also has certain weaknesses: it is through Political Science that complex human behaviours are too often reduced to models or theories that little reflect real-world nuance. Political science rarely offers more than probabilistic predictions since political outcomes can depend on unpredictable causes such as social movements, cultural shifts, or leadership. In some cases, political science itself has neglected various aspects of structural inequalities or non-Western traditions of politics. Despite all of this, the ability of political science to analyze the role of institutions, evaluate policy, and understand the legal, political environment provides a crucial base for my future legal career.

Philosophical foundations

Philosophy is the study of basic questions about knowledge, morality, existence, reasoning, and human purpose. Methods that philosophers use include logical argumentation, conceptual analysis, ethical inquiry, and critical reflection. (5) Philosophy has its roots in ancient Greece and was developed by thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle, who created early conceptions of justice, virtue, and politics. Over many centuries, it evolved into branches including ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, and logic. (6) My classes-Fundamental Philosophical Questions, Reasoning and Critical Thinking, and Modern Political Thought-have helped me understand how to craft good arguments, spot fallacies, and analyze ethical dilemmas. Philosophy's strengths are found in the clarity of thought and emphasis on questioning assumptions. It trains students to think logically, evaluate moral consequences, and articulate complex ideas with precision-skills that are a must in the legal field. For instance, philosophical ethics helps lawyers consider the moral meaning of defending clients, drafting contracts, or navigating corporate responsibilities. Political philosophy provides ways of critically assessing justice, rights, and authority concepts, all embedded in the legal system. Philosophy helps anchor decision-making in principles rather than personal biases. Yet philosophy can be abstract and out of touch with concrete reality, or hard to apply in practical life. Some debates never get settled for centuries; there are ongoing debates where many philosophical theories still clash. Notwithstanding these limitations, philosophy remains one of the most value-rich fields to develop reasoning skills, moral judgment, and building persuasive arguments—competencies central to legal practice.

Conclusion

The integration of History, Political Science, and Philosophy gives me a unique and powerful interdisciplinary lens for understanding the world-and for becoming the type of lawyer I want to be. History teaches me context: how societies change, why conflicts emerge, and how legal systems develop over time. Political Science teaches me structure: how institutions function, how laws are implemented, and how power shapes policy. Philosophy teaches me judgment: how to reason clearly, evaluate evidence, and make ethical decisions. When combined, these three disciplines allow me to approach problems with depth, awareness, and integrity. Through this interdisciplinary training, I learn to consider not only what a law says but why it exists, who it affects, and whether it is just. This approach goes hand in hand with my goal of being a corporate lawyer who protects clients while considering ethical responsibilities. More than academic knowledge, interdisciplinarity shapes me into a more compassionate, well-informed, and principled advocate. It connects my identity, my father’s legacy, and my future career into one coherent, meaningful path.

Bibliography:

Bentley, Michael. Modern Historiography: An Introduction. London: Routledge, 1999.
Tosh, John. The Pursuit of History. 6th ed. London: Routledge, 2015.
Marsh, David, and Gerry Stoker, eds. Theory and Methods in Political Science. 3rd ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010.
Goodin, Robert E., ed. The Oxford Handbook of Political Science. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011.
Blackburn, Simon. Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Warburton, Nigel. Philosophy: The Basics. 5th ed. London: Routledge, 2013.