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Comparative politics Different theoretical approaches

The field of comparative politics is one in which a variety of different approaches have been undertaken to the material at hand, with varying results. Macridis and Brown (1977) note that the field remains in flux at the time they are putting together their book of readings in the subject: "There has been little theory building and cumulative empirical testing and data collection. There has been also little agreement on concepts and definitions or on the scope and range of comparative analysis" (p. 1). There are various theoretical approaches apparent in different writers on the subject, however, whether or not those approaches have been codified or presented in a comprehensive and coherent manner as theory. Macridis and Brown give a good overview of the way theoretical concepts have developed in the field and of the work still to be done. Wiarda (1985) also finds that the field is in a state of crisis because of a failure on the part of scholars to define the parameters of the field precisely and to set forth its methodology in a convincing fashion. Wiarda also finds that there is no single integrating set of theories on which the scholars in the field can agree. Bill and Hardgrave (1973) seem to feel the same way and offer in their book what they identify as "a theoretical introduction to and an analytical framework for the field of comparative politics" (p. v). Almond and Powell (1980) set out to describe a specific theoretical approach based on system and environment and based on observations of different societies even as what they observe can be applied to many different societies once it has been analyzed and reconstructed as an analytical tool. An examination of these works will show the diverse theoretical perspectives in use today and point to some of their strengths and weaknesses.

GENERAL TRENDS AND THE SYSTEM APPROACH

Macridis and Brown (1977) detail the general trends they have observed in the field of co...

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Comparative politics Different theoretical approaches. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 21:37, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1687049.html