Building Theory In Comparative Study Flashcards
How did Schutt define theory?
A theory is a logically interrelated set of propositions about empirical reality
According to Mark Lichbach, what are the three theoretical perspectives for theorizing in comparative politics?
- Rationalist
- Culturalist
- Structuralist
What did the rationalist perspective focus on?
The rationalist perspective focused on individual theories that emphasized the non-rational aspects of human behavior.
One of such theories was grievance and relative deprivation theory by Ted Gurr in his book, why do men rebel.
The rationalist perspective focuses on the actions and behaviors of individuals who make reasoned and intentional decisions based on set of preferences or interests.
Rationalists believe that theories should build up from the belief and goals of individuals
What did the culturalist approach focus on?
The culturalist approach focuses on the broader and holistic shared aspects of collectivity of individuals. They argue that single individual’s interests and actions cannot be understood in Isolation, individual actions stem from cultural traits and these shared meanings form broader cultures and communities that can be grouped together and analyzed as a whole unit
What does the structural approach focus on?
The structural approach also focuses on the holistic aspects of politics but unlike the culturalist, the structural approach focuses on the interdependent relationships among individuals, institutions or organizations.
The structuralists are interested in the social, political, economic networks that form between and among individuals called institutions and these are the structures.
They believe that individuals are not completely free agents capable of doing whatever they want to do, the structuralist views individuals as being embedded in relational structures such as the economic, social, political, religious structures that shape human identities, interest and interactions
