Comp Politics Midterm Study Set #2 Theoretical Approaches & Comparative Method

Institutions

Formal organizations or practices with a political purpose or effect, marked by durability and internal complexity

Institutionalization

Process by which organizations build stability and permanence when they possess internal complexity, follows clear rules of procedure, and is clearly distinguished from its environment

Institutionalism

Approach to the study of politics and governments that focuses on the structures and dynamics of governing institutions.

New Institutionalism

Examines how institutions shape decisions and define interests

Logic of Appropriatness

Actions in which members of an institution take to conform to its norms

Logic of Consequences

Members of an institution take on the basis of a rational calculation of altruism or self-interest

Historical Institutionalism

Defines institutions as formal or informal procedures, routines, norms, and and conventions (Path Dependency, Critical Junctures, process tracing)

Rational Choice Institutionalism

Actors seek to maximize utility, institutions are either consciously

designed or consequential outcomes of purposive action

Behavioralism

Emphasizes people over institutions, studying the behavior and attitudes of individuals in search of scientific generalization

Rational Choice

Based on the idea that political behavior reflects the choices made by individuals working to maximize their benefits and minimize their costs.

Structuralism

Emphasizes the relationships among groups and networks within larger systems. Interests and positions of these groups shape the overall configurations of power and provide dynamic of political change.

Marxist/Neo-Marxist Theories

Explores the primacy of economic forces in explaining political and social phenomena, the central role of the production process, the character of capitalism as a global mode of production, and importance of social or economic class

Critical Feminisim

Gender permeates all structures

Dependancy Theory

Seeks to understand why development has benefited rich Northern states rather than poorer southern states

Securitization Studies

Aruges that states and international organizations seek to exercise increasing control over their political environment by making an issue into a matter of security.

Interpretive Approach

Politics is formed by the ideas we have about it.

Methodology

Systemic Analysis of the methods used in a given field of inquiry

Unit of Analysis

Object of study in comparative politics

Level of Analysis

Level of study in comparative politics, ranging from the political system level to individual level

Experimental Method

Usage of experimental and control groups to isolate the effects of different stimuli

Statistical Method

Usage of empirically observed data to tease out relationships among variables

Comparative Method

Comparing a small number of cases in order to understand their qualities and develop and investigate hypotheses, theories, and concepts

Case Study Method

Method involving the detailed study or a particular object as well as the context in which it exists.

Qualitative Method

Uses a small number of cases to understand a phenomenon holistically; emphasis on values, opinions, behavior, context

Most Similar System

Uses cases that are as similar as possible, isolating the causes of the differences

Most Different System

Uses cases that are as different as possible, isolating causes of the similarities

Quantitative Method

Method involving variables, explains political phenomena using statistics

Variable

A changeable feature, factor, quality, or element

Independent Variable

A variable that stands on its own

Dependent Variable

A variable that is dependent on other things

Correlation

Relationship between to variables

Outlier

Observation furthest away from value predicted by regression line

Selection Bias

Selected data and variables are unrepresentative of the wider class from which they are drawn

Survivorship Bias

Only studying surviving examples of political types

Value Bias

Assessments and conclusions that are impacted by the values of the researcher

Confirmation Bias

Tendency to seek out info that confirms your pre-existing beliefs