Summary of the book readings from IRO course introduction to political science (IPS)
Contains readings from the book: Theory and Methods in Political Science
Next, to this, the summary contains at the end a quick overview of the approaches discussed as a quick revision of material read. And anothe...
Chapter 1: Introduction
due to globalization the gap between domestic politics and international relations has
narrowed. domestic affairs are increasingly influenced by transnational forces. e.g in the
fields of migration, human rights, global warming, other issues that transcend the
nation-state.
● questions asked at global, local and national level similar
○ how is power exercised to determine outcomes?
○ what are the roles of competing interests and identities?
scope of PS understanding attitude relationship to the
the scientific towards practice of PS
claim normative
theory
behaviouralism process of politics subject claims to before keen on value-free, neutral, and
associated with empirical test through distinction, now detached
mainstream politics and direct observation gives value to
government normative
rational choice concerned with conditions generation of general less focus on what value-free expert advice
theory for collective action in laws and in particular could be and more about how to organize
political world laws with predictive on what is feasible politics
power
institutionalism rules, norms, and values production of connection sees itself as working
that govern political organized knowledge. between empirical alongside the
exchange. tends to look at Best empirically analysis and practitioners of politics
institutional grounded, normative theory
arrangements theoretically informed
and reflective
constructivism meanings attached to understanding of fusion between all wry commentary on the
actions and their context. human activity is types of theorizing narrative battles of the
reflecting people's world inherently different to political world
views. that of the physical
world
psychological view on politics through how challenges are generally not insight in how politics
personality of those who identified can be oriented towards works and how it could be
approaches
engage in politics studied that allows for normative theory made to work better
empirical investigation
feminism and the personal can be tendencies towards every approach political engagement is
political anti-foundational and should take strongly part of the
gendered
critical realist gender roles feminist impulse
approaches perspectives seriously
marxism politics is a struggle critical realist useful when it committed to engagement
between social groups, in provides a guide of suppressed groups
particular social classes to action
poststructuralis politics takes place and no scientific claim does sustain impact through popular
m achieves impact in various possible as our reality normative critique culture and strong
ways is mediated by capacity to develop
language or discourse critique
,what is politics? what is it that political scientists study?
● ontological questions are about what is and what exists
○ what is there to know about x?
● political scientists relate to the nature of the political
○ arena definition including parliament, executive, interest groups, elections
etc.
○ focus on the formal operations of politics
○ process definition
what is a scientific approach to politics?
● various ontological and epistemological positions taken by approaches
● three arguments for plurality
○ if you are not sure what the answer is there is a benefit in having multiple
paths at your disposal
○ opportunity to learn from different approaches
○ as political science steps up to its commitment to relevance, having a plurality
of approaches could be an advantage
, Chapter 2: Behavioural Analysis
● Why do people behave in the way they do?
○ observable behaviour should be the focus of analysis
○ any explanation to that behaviour should be susceptible to empirical testing
core characteristics
● rise 1950/60s with philosophical origins from Comte
● Positivism asserted that analytic statements made fell into three
categories
○ definitional statements. assigning a specific meaning to a concept
○ statements could be empirical, could be tested
○ statements that fell in neither were devoid of analytical meaning
● behaviouralism’s view on empirical theory and of explanation was
heavily influenced by positivist theory
○ empirical theory is a set of abstract statements consisting of assumptions,
definitions and empirically testable hypotheses.
○ an explanation is a causal account of the occurrence of a phenomenon
● three ways in which explanatory theories can be evaluated
○ internally consistent
○ be as far as possible in line with other theories that seek to explain related
phenomena
○ capable of generating empirical predictions that can be tested against
observation
● quantitative and qualitative research equally acceptable provided that
○ it is used to evaluate theoretical propositions
○ it is employed systematically rather than illustratively
● Karl Popper: falsification rather than verification in research
○ make a hypothesis, then try to disprove it.
criticisms of the behavioural approach
● objections to neither definitional and empirical are useless
○ refused ideas can add to our understanding of behaviour
● tendency towards mindless empiricism
○ sole focus on observable, rather than subtle underlying structures
○ more focus on statistics than a real explanation
● assumed independence of theory and observation
○ interesting to behaviouralists when they specify empirical referents and
provide empirical evidence.
Strengths of behavioural approach
● analysis that are capable of replication pursuit
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