eckstein 1975 casestudytheorypoliticalsciences cap3 strategiesofinquiry

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ADDISON-WESLEY PUBLISHING

HANDBOOK POLITICAL SCIENCE

Volume 7

STRATEGIES

Edited by

GREENSTEIN Princeton University

NELSONW.

POLSBY University Berkeley

COMPANY

Reading Massachusetts


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Al1 o

United States Canada o

0 20102607 4

ABCDEFGHIJ HA.798765

This book is in the

ADDISON-WESLEY SERIES IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

Copyright 1975 by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. Philippines copyright 1975by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc.

rights reserved. No part this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the

of Amenca. Published simultaneously in Library Congress CatalogCard No. 75-6240.

ISBN


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:

Catalogs

:

Utilization

Archiva1

t

Partial

arry

o

Objections

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Sources for Political Inquiry Library Reference Materials

and Manuscripts as Data for Political Science

Clement E. Vose, Wesleyan University

Errors and Oddities in Reference Materialsand Indexes to Books and Periodicals

Encyclopedias, Yearbooks, Directories, and Handbooks

Documents by and about the United States Government

Chapter 2 Sources for Political Inquiry Quantitative Data

Jerome M. Clubb, University of Michigan

Social Science Data Archives

Operation and of Data Archives

DevelopmentData Sources

Concluding Commen

List of Social Science Data Archives and Related Facilities

Chapter Case Study and Theory in Political Science

Eckstein, Princeton University

Introduction

DefinitionsOptions on the Utility of Case Studies:

An Overview the Argument

Types and Uses of Case Study

Objections to the Argument (and Replies to the

Conclusion


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AND THEORY

IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

'ARRY ECKSTEIN

ZNTRODUCTZON

extent to which certain kinds of study are carried out in the field

cal science seems to be a poor indicator their perceived utility for buildingtheories.

The type of study most frequently made in the field is the intensive study

individual cases. Case studies run the gamut the most microscosmic to

the most macrocosmic levels of political phenomena. On the microlevel, we

inany studies of conspicuous political personalities (political leaders such

as Lincoln, Stalin, Gandhi), and of particular leadership positions and small

groups (the American presidency, the British Cabinet, the prime

minister in British government, tlie operational of the Soviet leadership,

and so on). At the political groupings, the literature the field teemsstudies of particular pressure groups, political party systems,

lutionary and movements, and political "elites," both on the national

and local levels. More abundant are studies individual in

corners the world and at many stages Iiistory and development. Many

treat as overall macrocosms; many with their subsidiary or-

ganizations (administrative apparatuses, legislatures, judiciaries, systems olocal

government), or their programs and policies, or their particular electoral,

legislative, executive, or judicial decision processes. Beyond that level, one finds

a similar profusion of case studies of transnational plienomena: specific

esses of and organizations transnational integration, particular "systems"

international politics, particular in international relations, and the like.

The of examples is such tliat it seems pointless to

li h P i l tli i liti l i ti t


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