Established in 1990, the Institute of Political Studies has developed studies in the following main areas:
- the history of political thought and institutions
- the theory and philosophy of politics
- comparative studies of social and political systems
- studies of political parties, social movements, and voting behavior
- studies of social and political dynamics of post-communist societies
- studies in state-building and civil society
- studies in the formation of elites (political, economic, and cultural)
- studies on the relations between politics and economics
- research on ethnic minorities in Poland, and Polish minorities in neighboring countries
There are also research sections dealing with European integration and security, Central and Eastern Europe, German integration, and Soviet studies.