The document discusses the comparative approach as a strategy for drawing inferences about causation across different areas of study. It notes that comparison broadens understanding, improves classifications, enables testing of hypotheses, and provides potential for prediction. There are advantages to comparing different governments, political processes, and levels of analysis like institutions, societies, and states. Case studies, focused comparisons using most similar or most different designs, and statistical analysis are approaches to conducting comparisons. Care must be taken to avoid pitfalls like insufficient knowledge, bias, too many variables, and issues of globalization and understanding meaning.
The document discusses the comparative approach as a strategy for drawing inferences about causation across different areas of study. It notes that comparison broadens understanding, improves classifications, enables testing of hypotheses, and provides potential for prediction. There are advantages to comparing different governments, political processes, and levels of analysis like institutions, societies, and states. Case studies, focused comparisons using most similar or most different designs, and statistical analysis are approaches to conducting comparisons. Care must be taken to avoid pitfalls like insufficient knowledge, bias, too many variables, and issues of globalization and understanding meaning.
The document discusses the comparative approach as a strategy for drawing inferences about causation across different areas of study. It notes that comparison broadens understanding, improves classifications, enables testing of hypotheses, and provides potential for prediction. There are advantages to comparing different governments, political processes, and levels of analysis like institutions, societies, and states. Case studies, focused comparisons using most similar or most different designs, and statistical analysis are approaches to conducting comparisons. Care must be taken to avoid pitfalls like insufficient knowledge, bias, too many variables, and issues of globalization and understanding meaning.
The document discusses the comparative approach as a strategy for drawing inferences about causation across different areas of study. It notes that comparison broadens understanding, improves classifications, enables testing of hypotheses, and provides potential for prediction. There are advantages to comparing different governments, political processes, and levels of analysis like institutions, societies, and states. Case studies, focused comparisons using most similar or most different designs, and statistical analysis are approaches to conducting comparisons. Care must be taken to avoid pitfalls like insufficient knowledge, bias, too many variables, and issues of globalization and understanding meaning.
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The Comparative
Approach
Mayo, Rhodelyn M. BSED 3T2 Dr. Brion What is Comparative Approach?
Master strategy for drawing inferences
about causation in any area of study. Why Compare? Comparative approach broadens our understanding of the political world, leading to improved classifications and giving potential explanation and even prediction. Advantages of Comparison Learning about other governments broadens our understanding; Comparison improves our classifications of political processes; Comparison enables us to test hypothesis about politics; Comparison gives us some potential for prediction and control. What to compare? Levels of Analysis in Comparative Politics Institution-centered How governments are organized and the relationships between these organization. Logic of Appropriateness refers to actions which members of an institution take to conform to its norms. Logic of Consequence denotes behaviour directed at achieving an individual goal such as promotion of re-election. Society-centered How governments are influenced by the social context in which they operate. State-centered The priorities and traditions of the state as a whole and how these impinge the society. How to compare? Case Studies to investigate something with significance beyond its own boundaries. Techniques in Case Study • reading academic literature • examining secondary documents • searching for primary material • conducting interviews with participants and other observers in the country, organization or other unit under scrutiny. • experiencing or at least visiting the unit under study Some Types of Case Study Definition
Representative Typical type of category
Prototypical Expected to become typical
Deviant The exception to the rule
Archetypal Creates the category
Critical If it works here, it will work
Focused Comparisons • they are small-N studies concentrating on the intensive comparison of an aspect of politics in a few countries. • Most Similar Design takes similar countries for comparison of assumption. • Most Different Design seeks to show the robustness of a relationship by demonstrating its validity across diverse settings. (Przeworkski and Teune, 1970) Statistical Analysis • is based on the variables rather than cases. • Dependent Variable is the factor we wish to account for. • Independent Variable is the factor believed to influence the dependent variable. • Correlation coefficient measures the accuracy with which can we predict from one statistical variable to another. Correlations are scored from 0-1. Irrespective of its size, a correlation can be positive or negative. • Regression Line is the line of best fir in a scatterplot. • Outliers are the observations furthest away from the value predicted by the regression line. Avoiding Pitfalls Any approach brings its own dangers and the breadth inherent in comparative politics brings its own risks. • Knowledge Requirements • Understanding Meaning • Globalization • Too many variables, too few countries • Selection Bias THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! GODBLESS!
