Introduction to Research Introduction to Research Methods – Lecture 1Methods – Lecture 1

The history of the discipline of The history of the discipline of political science and political science and

international relationsinternational relations

Why intellectual history matters (1)Why intellectual history matters (1)

A disciplinary identity, its boundaries A disciplinary identity, its boundaries are shaped by its historyare shaped by its history

It legitimises some approaches and It legitimises some approaches and makes others marginalmakes others marginal

Generates a sense of purpose and Generates a sense of purpose and belongingbelonging

Why intellectual history matters (2)Why intellectual history matters (2)

Contemporary American political science Contemporary American political science is relatively uninterested in the concept of is relatively uninterested in the concept of the state which is a central one in Europethe state which is a central one in Europe

This in part reflects different modes of This in part reflects different modes of governinggoverning

But early American political science was But early American political science was shaped by a notion of the state derived shaped by a notion of the state derived from German ethical traditionsfrom German ethical traditions

It was supplanted by a ‘protobehavioural It was supplanted by a ‘protobehavioural revolution’revolution’

Hegemony of American political Hegemony of American political sciencescience

CountryCountry Depts in top Depts in top 200 (Hix)200 (Hix)

% of top 200% of top 200

USAUSA 9797 48.5%48.5%

UKUK 4848 24%24%

Other EuropeOther Europe 32 (5 in NL)32 (5 in NL) 14.5%14.5%

GermanyGermany 1010 5%5%

AustraliaAustralia 99 4.5%4.5%

Where top departments are notWhere top departments are not

AsiaAsia The PacificThe Pacific The Arabic worldThe Arabic world Latin AmericaLatin America Almost completely absent from E-Almost completely absent from E-

Central Europe and RussiaCentral Europe and Russia EU countries increasingly teach in EU countries increasingly teach in

EnglishEnglish

Top ten in worldTop ten in world 1. Columbia (East coast)1. Columbia (East coast) 2. Harvard (East coast)2. Harvard (East coast) 3. Stanford (California)3. Stanford (California) 4. Ohio State4. Ohio State 5 EUI, Firenze5 EUI, Firenze 6. UC, San Diego (California)6. UC, San Diego (California) 7. UC, Irvine (California)7. UC, Irvine (California) 8. Indiana8. Indiana 9. Princeton (East coast)9. Princeton (East coast) 10. Yale (East coast)10. Yale (East coast)

NumbersNumbers

20,495 political scientists in US20,495 political scientists in US 10,386 are academics10,386 are academics One third are womenOne third are women 6 per cent African American, 4 per 6 per cent African American, 4 per

cent Asian American, 3 per cent cent Asian American, 3 per cent LatinoLatino

.3% are American Indian or Alaskan .3% are American Indian or Alaskan Native (1.4% of US population)Native (1.4% of US population)

Early origins in USEarly origins in US

1880: School of Political Science at 1880: School of Political Science at Columbia University in NY Columbia University in NY established by John Burgessestablished by John Burgess

John Hopkins, BaltimoreJohn Hopkins, Baltimore 1903: American Political Science 1903: American Political Science

Association foundedAssociation founded Woodrow Wilson is early president, Woodrow Wilson is early president,

becomes President of USAbecomes President of USA

Driving forcesDriving forces

Expansion of undergraduate Expansion of undergraduate population from 54,300 in 1870 to population from 54,300 in 1870 to 597,200 in 1920 creates a demand 597,200 in 1920 creates a demand for new coursesfor new courses

Dominant subject of theology in old Dominant subject of theology in old colleges challenged by science, e.g., colleges challenged by science, e.g., DarwinismDarwinism

Progressive movement, urban reform Progressive movement, urban reform movement of middle classmovement of middle class

Driving forces (2)Driving forces (2)

Need to socialise wave of immigrants Need to socialise wave of immigrants in US in last quarter of 19in US in last quarter of 19thth century century into democracy. Civics in schools.into democracy. Civics in schools.

Strong German influences on Strong German influences on development of subject in US, development of subject in US, reinforced in inter-war period by reinforced in inter-war period by refugees from Nazisrefugees from Nazis

Cannot take law as a first degree in Cannot take law as a first degree in the USAthe USA

Interwar period: Chicago school Interwar period: Chicago school dominatesdominates

Turn away from state, need to realise Turn away from state, need to realise political realities of social political realities of social heterogeneityheterogeneity

Protobehavioural revolution reacting Protobehavioural revolution reacting against formal, legal and historical against formal, legal and historical methods of inquiry of 19methods of inquiry of 19thth century century using new methods of inquiryusing new methods of inquiry

Times were not auspicious for a Times were not auspicious for a scientific revolutionscientific revolution

Behavioural revolution of Behavioural revolution of 1950s/60s1950s/60s

Times were right – nuclear physics, space Times were right – nuclear physics, space exploration, Cold War competition with exploration, Cold War competition with Soviet Union, Second World War advances Soviet Union, Second World War advances in survey techniquesin survey techniques

Aspiration to make political science a Aspiration to make political science a ‘normal’ science, free of value judgements‘normal’ science, free of value judgements

Political reality existed and could be Political reality existed and could be understood through the objective understood through the objective techniques of scientific inquiry techniques of scientific inquiry (psychology as model)(psychology as model)

Main tenets of behaviouralismMain tenets of behaviouralism

Sought to discover uniformities in Sought to discover uniformities in political behaviour by systematically political behaviour by systematically collecting and recording data in a collecting and recording data in a manner that encouraged replicationmanner that encouraged replication

Quantification became important – Quantification became important – and remains soand remains so

Political science has no concern with Political science has no concern with moral questions, or at least should moral questions, or at least should keep them separatekeep them separate

Why behaviouralism failedWhy behaviouralism failed

Pointed out that not observing behaviour Pointed out that not observing behaviour but reports of people’s behaviourbut reports of people’s behaviour

Difficult to come up with useful Difficult to come up with useful generalisations as so much behaviour is generalisations as so much behaviour is contingent or represents adaptation – contingent or represents adaptation – model of natural science flawedmodel of natural science flawed

Vietnam War, crisis in US institutions, Vietnam War, crisis in US institutions, accusations of conservatism, Caucus for accusations of conservatism, Caucus for New Political Science (1967), Easton calls New Political Science (1967), Easton calls for post-behaviouralism (1969)for post-behaviouralism (1969)

Legacies of behaviouralismLegacies of behaviouralism

Study of politics should be theory Study of politics should be theory orientedoriented

Should be self-conscious about Should be self-conscious about methodologymethodology

Should be interdisciplinaryShould be interdisciplinary Strong desire for methodological Strong desire for methodological

rigour remained – rational choice rigour remained – rational choice (versus historical institutionalists)(versus historical institutionalists)

Perestroika movement (2000)Perestroika movement (2000)

Respect for political theory and Respect for political theory and comparative politics, concern that political comparative politics, concern that political science in US was too narrowly science in US was too narrowly behavioural and quantitative – united by behavioural and quantitative – united by opposition to monopoly claim of scientific opposition to monopoly claim of scientific approachapproach

Consider that behaviouralists and rat Consider that behaviouralists and rat choice people think that only they are choice people think that only they are doing hard science and that everything doing hard science and that everything else is datedelse is dated

Perestroika (2)Perestroika (2)

Argue that some scholars claim that Argue that some scholars claim that rational choice institutionalism rational choice institutionalism should be basis of all analysisshould be basis of all analysis

Questions about engagement with Questions about engagement with politics and policy makers, practice politics and policy makers, practice of politicsof politics

‘‘English school’ in international English school’ in international relations has favoured normative relations has favoured normative enquiryenquiry

British political scienceBritish political science

In 19In 19thth century Benthamite advocates century Benthamite advocates of a deductive (theory led) approach of a deductive (theory led) approach and a science of legislation lost out and a science of legislation lost out to advocates of an inductive to advocates of an inductive approach based on historyapproach based on history

LSE set up to teach colonial LSE set up to teach colonial administrators, included many administrators, included many reformers prominent in the Labour reformers prominent in the Labour Party, public intellectualsParty, public intellectuals

OxfordOxford

Modern Greats established in 1923, part Modern Greats established in 1923, part of a humane tradition that emphasised of a humane tradition that emphasised classics, literature and historyclassics, literature and history

‘‘The subject is taught by a very few The subject is taught by a very few specialists and a large number of specialists and a large number of philosophers and historians who approach philosophers and historians who approach it with varying degrees of enthusiasm or it with varying degrees of enthusiasm or distrust’distrust’

As late as 1966 40% of teachers of politics As late as 1966 40% of teachers of politics in universities in Britain had taken history in universities in Britain had taken history as first degreeas first degree

Post-Second World WarPost-Second World War

Political Political Studies Studies Association formed in Association formed in 19501950

Emergence of Manchester department Emergence of Manchester department headed by W J M Mackenzie (eclecticist), headed by W J M Mackenzie (eclecticist), but made politics more social scientificbut made politics more social scientific

Prevalence of Whig interpretation of Prevalence of Whig interpretation of history, at worst nostalgia for political history, at worst nostalgia for political order before 1order before 1stst World War World War

Mixture of moral philosophy (Oxford) and Mixture of moral philosophy (Oxford) and constitutional history (Cambridge)constitutional history (Cambridge)

Things start to changeThings start to change

Colonial constitutions failColonial constitutions fail Britain is gripped after 1960 (the Britain is gripped after 1960 (the

year of the Brighton Revolution) by a year of the Brighton Revolution) by a sense of relative decline and the sense of relative decline and the failure of its institutionsfailure of its institutions

University expansion expands University expansion expands political science especially in political science especially in plateglass universitiesplateglass universities

Technocratic reformismTechnocratic reformism

Political science comes to WarwickPolitical science comes to Warwick

Wilfrid HarrisonWilfrid Harrison

First editor of First editor of Political StudiesPolitical Studies Taught at Oxford, civil service in war, Taught at Oxford, civil service in war,

then Liverpoolthen Liverpool Founded Warwick departmentFounded Warwick department Strong believer in tolerant Strong believer in tolerant

eclecticism and no dominant eclecticism and no dominant paradigmparadigm

Sceptical professionalismSceptical professionalism

Technocratic reformism comes to an Technocratic reformism comes to an end in mid to late 1970send in mid to late 1970s

1980s a difficult decade for UK 1980s a difficult decade for UK universities and political scienceuniversities and political science

1992 sees new universities, subject 1992 sees new universities, subject continues to expandcontinues to expand

Formation of European Consortium Formation of European Consortium for Political Research in 1970for Political Research in 1970

Political science in EuropePolitical science in Europe

Public law tradition predominates in Public law tradition predominates in some countries, e.g., France, Italysome countries, e.g., France, Italy

Subject stunted in countries that Subject stunted in countries that were dictatorships, e.g., Greece, were dictatorships, e.g., Greece, SpainSpain

Particularly strong in Nordic countries Particularly strong in Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark) (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark) also NL, Germanyalso NL, Germany

Chilean political science Chilean political science association meets in Santiagoassociation meets in Santiago

Political science in Latin AmericaPolitical science in Latin America

Severely disrupted by authoritarian Severely disrupted by authoritarian periods in Argentina, Brazil, Chileperiods in Argentina, Brazil, Chile

Influence of FLACSO, founded by Influence of FLACSO, founded by Unesco in 1957Unesco in 1957

Influence of Catholic thought: St. Influence of Catholic thought: St. Thomas Moore Dept. of PoliticsThomas Moore Dept. of Politics

Importance of sociologyImportance of sociology Intrusions of partisan politicsIntrusions of partisan politics

Dominance of US political scienceDominance of US political science

Neglect of stateNeglect of state Often very inward looking, state level Often very inward looking, state level

studiesstudies Does a lot of work on EU, but model Does a lot of work on EU, but model

implicitly a US federal oneimplicitly a US federal one APSA is first loyalty for many British APSA is first loyalty for many British

political scientists, 7,000 at annual political scientists, 7,000 at annual conventionconvention

Future developmentsFuture developments

European wide association following European wide association following Bologna reformsBologna reforms

Recognition of complementary Recognition of complementary nature of quantitative and qualitative nature of quantitative and qualitative techniquestechniques

More emphasis on interdisciplinarityMore emphasis on interdisciplinarity Increasing internationalisationIncreasing internationalisation