This article represents a preliminary, exploratory study of the history of Brazilian Political Science. We seek to aid in the identification of the historical roots underlying the two principles upon which the division of academic production in contemporary Political Science is based: the continuums marked by the relationships between theory-empirical reality and between the political- the societal. We begin with a theoretical scheme that has been used to interpret the history of Brazilian political science. We then take advantage of this presentation to discuss certain important empirical issues, particularly those of a conceptual order. We then go on to present our research hypothesis, put together in reference to this schema, in order to provide a direction for historical explanation. Finally, through our hypothesis and making use of bibliographic evidence, we suggest a tentative interpretation. This interpretation turns around the following axes: the processes of institutionalization and autonomization of the field of Political Science, divided into two types: cultural (values, theories, methods etc.) and institutional (referring to the institutionalization of the discipline) autonomization, involving a conflict that is more or less explicit between different perspectives in Political Science.
Brazilian Political Science; history of Political Science; intellectuals; dividing principles; perspectives on Political Science
