Hardback
Comparative Politics
Theoretical and Methodological Challenges
9781783472062 Edward Elgar Publishing
What are the conceptual and methodological challenges facing comparative politics today? This informative book discusses four main challenges that create stress for disciplinary reproduction and advancement, while providing potential solutions.
In seven chapters, the contributors cover the most pressing issues: the dissolution of the nation-state as the main objective of inquiry; the increasing complexity of concepts and methods; the capacity to accumulate knowledge; and the tensions between parsimonious and contextually rich explanations.
In seven chapters, the contributors cover the most pressing issues: the dissolution of the nation-state as the main objective of inquiry; the increasing complexity of concepts and methods; the capacity to accumulate knowledge; and the tensions between parsimonious and contextually rich explanations.
More Information
Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
What are the conceptual and methodological challenges facing comparative politics today? This informative book discusses four main challenges that create stress for disciplinary reproduction and advancement, while providing potential solutions.
In seven chapters, the contributors cover the most pressing issues: the dissolution of the nation-state as the main objective of inquiry; the increasing complexity of concepts and methods; the capacity to accumulate knowledge; and the tensions between parsimonious and contextually rich explanations.
Scholars and students of comparative politics, international relations and political science will be interested in the up-to-date overview of pertinent conceptual problems, as well as the possible ways forward. Practitioners and decision-makers will find the real-world examples provided in this book useful to their work.
In seven chapters, the contributors cover the most pressing issues: the dissolution of the nation-state as the main objective of inquiry; the increasing complexity of concepts and methods; the capacity to accumulate knowledge; and the tensions between parsimonious and contextually rich explanations.
Scholars and students of comparative politics, international relations and political science will be interested in the up-to-date overview of pertinent conceptual problems, as well as the possible ways forward. Practitioners and decision-makers will find the real-world examples provided in this book useful to their work.
Critical Acclaim
‘This is an excellent book for students in comparative politics. It not only challenges the present state of the art, but also shows fresh avenues for comparative research in the twenty-first century. All chapters provide us with new insights as well as how to apply alternative methods. I hold that the different contributions are a “must read” for both students and established researchers to take in and to discuss.’
– Hans Keman, VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands and
former Editor of the European Journal of Political Research
‘This volume breaks new ground in addressing a number of critical issues confronting contemporary comparative politics, including the increasing interdependence of countries in the era of enhanced globalization, different levels of political authority and structures of governance, the search for elegant parsimonious explanation and the possibilities for a real accumulation of knowledge. The contributions all problematize comparative politics in ways that have not been done before and add remarkable insight for scholars in the field. This is highly recommended.’
– Todd Landman, University of Nottingham, UK and author of Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics (Routledge 2000, 2003, 2008, 2016)
‘The challenges that comparative politics faces have, in most cases, been discussed as fragmented and separate treatments. Rarely are they presented systematically and in an encompassing manner, as in the present volume, which covers a variety of subdisciplines. The editors and contributors should be complimented for offering methodologists and empirical comparativists a structured and integrated volume in which the various challenges are not only discussed in depth, but also linked together, rather than in isolation.’
– Daniele Caramani, University of Zurich, Switzerland
– Hans Keman, VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands and
former Editor of the European Journal of Political Research
‘This volume breaks new ground in addressing a number of critical issues confronting contemporary comparative politics, including the increasing interdependence of countries in the era of enhanced globalization, different levels of political authority and structures of governance, the search for elegant parsimonious explanation and the possibilities for a real accumulation of knowledge. The contributions all problematize comparative politics in ways that have not been done before and add remarkable insight for scholars in the field. This is highly recommended.’
– Todd Landman, University of Nottingham, UK and author of Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics (Routledge 2000, 2003, 2008, 2016)
‘The challenges that comparative politics faces have, in most cases, been discussed as fragmented and separate treatments. Rarely are they presented systematically and in an encompassing manner, as in the present volume, which covers a variety of subdisciplines. The editors and contributors should be complimented for offering methodologists and empirical comparativists a structured and integrated volume in which the various challenges are not only discussed in depth, but also linked together, rather than in isolation.’
– Daniele Caramani, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Contributors
Contributors: D. Braun, O.Giraud, D. Jahn, D. Kuebler, M. Maggetti, S. Stephan
Contents
Contents:
1. Introduction
Dietmar Braun and Martino Maggetti
2. The Problem of Interdependence
Detlef Jahn and Sebastian Stephan
3. De-nationalization and Multi-level Governance
Daniel Kübler
4. Between Parsimony and Complexity – System-wide Typologies as a Challenge in Comparative Politics
Dietmar Braun
5. Methodological Pluralism
Olivier Giraud and Martino Maggetti
6. Knowledge Progress in Comparative Politics
Martino Maggetti
7. Conclusion
Martino Maggetti and Dietmar Braun
Index
1. Introduction
Dietmar Braun and Martino Maggetti
2. The Problem of Interdependence
Detlef Jahn and Sebastian Stephan
3. De-nationalization and Multi-level Governance
Daniel Kübler
4. Between Parsimony and Complexity – System-wide Typologies as a Challenge in Comparative Politics
Dietmar Braun
5. Methodological Pluralism
Olivier Giraud and Martino Maggetti
6. Knowledge Progress in Comparative Politics
Martino Maggetti
7. Conclusion
Martino Maggetti and Dietmar Braun
Index
