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The Oxford Handbooks of Political Science
The Oxford Handbook of Political Methodology
Political methodology has changed dramatically over the past thirty years, and many new methods and techniques have been developed. Both the Political Methodology Society and the Qualitative/Multi-Methods Section of the American Political Science Association have engaged in ongoing research and training programs that have advanced quantitative and qualitative methodology. The Oxford Handbook of Political Methodology presents and synthesizes these developments.
The Handbook provides comprehensive overviews of diverse methodological approaches, with an emphasis on three major themes. First, specific methodological tools should be at the service of improved conceptualization, comprehension of meaning, measurement, and data collection. They should increase analysts' leverage in reasoning about causal relationships and evaluating them empirically by contributing to powerful research designs. Second, the authors explore the many different ways of addressing these through case-studies and large-n designs, with both quantitative and qualitative data, and via techniques ranging from statistical modelling to process tracing. Finally, techniques can cut across traditional methodological boundaries and can be useful for many different kinds of researchers. Many of the authors thus explore how their methods can inform, and be used by, scholars engaged in diverse branches of methodology.
The Handbook provides comprehensive overviews of diverse methodological approaches, with an emphasis on three major themes. First, specific methodological tools should be at the service of improved conceptualization, comprehension of meaning, measurement, and data collection. They should increase analysts' leverage in reasoning about causal relationships and evaluating them empirically by contributing to powerful research designs. Second, the authors explore the many different ways of addressing these through case-studies and large-n designs, with both quantitative and qualitative data, and via techniques ranging from statistical modelling to process tracing. Finally, techniques can cut across traditional methodological boundaries and can be useful for many different kinds of researchers. Many of the authors thus explore how their methods can inform, and be used by, scholars engaged in diverse branches of methodology.
880 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2008
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December 14, 2013
This is not a book that one is apt to speed read or skim through. It is a technical examination of causal thinking in research in political science. How can we assess causality, the extent to which variable A affects variable X?
The book is divided into several sections: An introduction; Approaches to social science methodology (e.g., normative methodology, meta-methodology, and agent-based modeling--a new subject for me); Concepts and measurement (improving measurement in political science is a key challenge--and that is the center of this section); Causality and explanation; Experiments, quasi-experiments, and natural experiments; Two sections assess quantitative tools for causal inference); Qualitative tools for inferring causality; Organizational and institutional aspects of methodology.
One case study--structural equation modeling (SEM for short). I have used this technique many times to try to infer causality. It is a powerful method, but one must be careful using it. Chapter 18 examines SEM. It is rigorous and not an easy read. I can use this tool and understand accessible descriptions of "how to do it," but this chapter is difficult for me to go through. The lead author, Kenneth Bollen, is an important figure in this context and his chapter is going to be very useful for high end users.
If interested in a rigorous examination of political science methodology and if informed in technical aspects of this, a wonderful resource and a great addition to the Oxford Handbook series.
The book is divided into several sections: An introduction; Approaches to social science methodology (e.g., normative methodology, meta-methodology, and agent-based modeling--a new subject for me); Concepts and measurement (improving measurement in political science is a key challenge--and that is the center of this section); Causality and explanation; Experiments, quasi-experiments, and natural experiments; Two sections assess quantitative tools for causal inference); Qualitative tools for inferring causality; Organizational and institutional aspects of methodology.
One case study--structural equation modeling (SEM for short). I have used this technique many times to try to infer causality. It is a powerful method, but one must be careful using it. Chapter 18 examines SEM. It is rigorous and not an easy read. I can use this tool and understand accessible descriptions of "how to do it," but this chapter is difficult for me to go through. The lead author, Kenneth Bollen, is an important figure in this context and his chapter is going to be very useful for high end users.
If interested in a rigorous examination of political science methodology and if informed in technical aspects of this, a wonderful resource and a great addition to the Oxford Handbook series.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review