In his view, political scientists had embraced largesample statistical methods. The comparative method is then nothing but the statistical method under relatively unfavorable, but improvable circumstance. Comparative politics and the comparative method pdf book. Additionally, in order to know how the comparative method is distinct, more than a few scholars will be mentioned, but i shall also highlight three scholars in particular as examples of utilizing a particular method at various points in this essay. The author is indebted to the institute of international studies, berkeley, for financial support. May 09, 20 evaluating the research methods of three modern classics of comparative politics. Here, once again, arend lijphart is directing our attention to matters which will surely engage much of the attention of students of comparative politics in the next decade. Democracy in plural societies is a useful addition to the literature on democratic conflict regulation. A comparative exploration by arend lijphart september 10, 1977.
Arend lijphart claimed that the phrase comparative politics specifies the how but does not postulate the what of the analysis. In two articlesthis one and another written in 1975 lijphart advocated greater use of case comparisons as a political research method. The comparative method political science, uc berkeley. Comparative politics is a field in political science characterized either by the use of the comparative method or other empirical methods to explore politics within as opposed to between countries. An analysis of comparative politics and the comparative. By defining the comparative method of comparative politics in this light, lijphart could then recommend four ways to make the comparative method more statistical and hence more scientific by the following. Democracy in plural societies yale university press. Comparative politics and the comparative method american. Comparative politics and the comparative method arend lijphart university of leiden among the several fields or subdisciplines into which the discipline of political science is usually divided, comparative politics is the only one that carries a methodological instead of a substantive label. This chapter examines the development of consociational theory by arend lijphart and its implications for the case of cyprus. This paper is a systematic analysis of the comparative method.
Evaluating research methods of comparative politics. He received his phd in political science at yale university in 1963, after studying at principia college from 1955 to 1958. In two articlesthis one and another written in 1975lijphart advocated greater use of case comparisons as a political research method. Comparative politics and the comparative method volume 65 issue 3 arend lijphart. Arend dangremond lijphart born 17 august 1936, apeldoorn, netherlands is a political scientist specializing in comparative politics, elections and voting systems, democratic institutions, and ethnicity and politics. Arend lijphart, a profile volume 28 issue 4 peter gourevitch, gary jacobson. In sum, a large part of the story of comparative politics has been, and continues to be, written by those who work and have been trained within the walls of us academia. Arend lijphart is best known for his theory of consociational or power sharing democracy, which enables the peaceful governance of deeply divided societies. Aug 17, 2016 arend dangremond lijphart is a political scientist specializing in comparative politics, elections and voting systems, democratic institutions, and ethnicity and politics. The paint of departure is arend lijphart s 1971 article comparative politics and comparative among the studies published in that period, lijphart s piece stands out for its. Pdf comparative politics and the comparative method semantic. The past and present of comparative politics gerardo l. The term comparative poli tics indicates the how but does not specify the what of the analysis. Passion, craft, and method in comparative politics.
Comparative politics is a field and a method used in political science, characterized by an empirical approach based on the comparative method. Its emphasis is on both the limitations of the method and the ways in which, despite these limitations, it can be used to maximum advantage. Comparativists usually compare and contrast different component parts of countries political systems and try to discover differences and certain tendencies. Apr 04, 2012 the prevalence of smalln research is attributed to lijpharts 1971 article published in apsr lijphart, arend 1971. The main aim of this essay will be to explore and theoretically evaluate the research designs of three classics of comparative politics. The prevalence of smalln research is attributed to lijphart s 1971 article published in apsr lijphart, arend 1971.
How the cases you choose affect the answers you get. Counterfactuals and hypothesis testing in political science world politics 43. He received his phd in political science at yale university in 1963, after studyi. While statistical methods are not necessarily bad, they have ad. Political theories and the explanation of ethnic conflict in the western world. The paint of departure is arend lijpharts 1971 article comparative politics and comparative among the studies published in that period, lijpharts piece stands out for its. Vedung 1975 the comparative method and its neighbours, in b. Arend lijphart on sharing power in africa and the future.
Apr 25, 2020 comparative politics and the comparative method arend lijphart university of leiden among the several fields or subdisciplines into which the discipline of political science is usually divided, comparative politics is the only one that carries a methodological instead of a substantive label. Pol 230wws 325 introduction to comparative politics spring 2018. Arend lijphart argues that comparative politics does not have a substantive focus in itself, but rather a methodological one. Comparative method or methodology in comparative politics. Volebni system ma podle nej zasadni vliv na kvalitu demokracie.
The comparablecases strategy in comparative research. Arend lijphart, among others, refers to comparing many countries using quantitative analysis as the statistical method. While his power sharing model has been widely criticized, it is also being adopted in countries as diverse as the netherlands, india, austria, south. The name comparative politics refers to the disciplines historical association with the comparative method, described in detail below. Arend lijphart comparative politics and the comparative method 1971 o comparative politics carries a methodological instead of a substantive label o 1 lijphart defines comparative method as one of the basic methods of establishing empirical propositions o 2 it is one of many methods, so narrow in scope o 3 defined as a method of discovering empirical relationships among variables o. It is a set of strategies that one uses to deal with situation of having too few cases, and too many potential explanatory factors. The comparable cases strategy in comparative research. Comparative politics and the choice of methods politics. Comparative politics and the comparative method arend. Four specific ways in which this difficulty may be resolved are. Pdf comparative politics and the comparative method. Pol 230wws 325 introduction to comparative politics.
Lijphart presents his arguments in favor of consociational democracy. Comparative politics and the comparative method econpapers. The author provides a scope of key issues to be taken into account in order to have the idea of the. Comparative politics, argued that comparison is so central to good analysis that the. Lijphart, arend 1991 constitutional choices for new democracies, journal of democracy 21 7284 lardeyret, guy 1991 the problem with pr, journal of democracy 23. Lijphart starts by defining plural societies and outlining the difficulties involved in governing them and then the basic purpose of the work is to explore the nature of consociational systems of government in stable western democracies and to investigate whether these provide a good blueprint that can be exported to developing countries. Comparative method or methodology in comparative politics t. In his article comparative politics and the comparative method, arend lijphart begins by giving a. Substantively, this can include questions relating to political institutions, political behavior, conflict, and the causes and consequences of economic development. The comparablecases strategy in comparative research show all authors.
Among the studies published in that period, lijpharts piece stands. Its emphasis is on both the limitations of the method. Comparative politics and the comparative method arend lijphart comparative politics carry a methodological label instead of a substantive label comparative politics indicates the how but does not specify the what of the analysis giovanni sartoris unconscious thinkers and overconscious thinkers. A comparative exploration by arend lijphart september 10, 1977 arend lijphart on. Comparative politics and the comparative method arend lijphart.
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