PLSC Comp Comp Bibliography, by Methodology

= Analytic Narrative =

Methodology
What is an Analytic Narrative? Define, and then add your annotated bibliography.

= Historical Institutionalism =

Methodology
What is Historical Institutionalism? Define, and then add your annotated bibliography.

= Rational Choice =

Methodology
What is Rational Choice? Define, and then add your annotated bibliography.

Lijphart 1971. Comparative Politics and Comparative Method.
 * 4 Different methods of inquiry: Expiremental, Statistical, Comparative, and Case Studies.
 * The latter three can be see as a decreasing set of large-n, 2-20 cases, 1 case.
 * Comparative Politics faces the small-n, too many variables problems. This is its biggest problem.
 * 6 good uses for case studies
 * atheoretical case studies
 * Interpretative case studies
 * Hypothesis-generating case studies
 * Theory-confirming case studies
 * Theory-infirming case studies
 * Deviant case stuides

'''McCubbins, Mathew D., and Michael F. Thies. 1996.''' "Rationality and the Foundations of Positive Political Theory"
 * Topic: Rational Choice Without Apology.
 * We all use models that abstract from reality, we just need to be sure to make our assumptions explicit.

Clarke and Primo, 2007.
 * Topic: Models, generally.
 * The goal of models is not merely prediction.
 * Consider Downs' spatial model of voting. It predicts candidate convergence; however, this cannot be found, empirically.  Should we then discard the study?  No, because it can provide useful insight into political behavior, even though it is poor at predicting behavior.
 * The EITM insistence on testing models may thus be misguided.


 * Are we testing models or testing equilibrium predictions? Do these equilibrium predictions - either point predictions or multi-equilibrium predictions hold emprically?

Institutions
'''Knight, Jack. 1993.''' Institutions and Social Conflict.
 * Topic: Institutional Politics.
 * Previous studies don't explain micro-foundations
 * Old studies are too functionalist (i.e., the explain institutions by the need for institutions/what the institutions do).
 * Rational Choice works better because institutions are really about the redistribution of resources and conflict
 * Uses rational choice to explain both institutional formation and change.
 * See also; Knight & Epstein (1996) on the emergence of judicial review in Marbury v. Madison.