Using Typologies in Comparative Research Dr. Jody LaPorte DPIR & St Hilda s College

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1 Using Typologies in Comparative Research Dr. Jody LaPorte DPIR & St Hilda s College Qualitative Research Methods Seminar Nuffield College October 22, 2014

2 Introduction Typologies in Political Science Research Comparative politics Weber s types of authority: Traditional, Charismatic, Rational Dahl s types of political regimes Closed hegemony, Competitive oligarchy, Inclusive hegemony, Polyarchy International Relations Krasner s state roles in the formation of international regimes Makers, Breakers, Takers Finnemore and Sikkink s types of international norms Newly emerged, Cascading, Internalized Economics Types of goods Public, Private, Club, Common-pool resources

3 Introduction But. Some are critical of typologies: Galt and Smith (1970): Social entities are difficult to classify and any given system of classification will inevitably be arbitrary. King, Keohane and Verba (1994): Typologies and frameworks and all manner of classifications are useful as temporary devises when we are collecting data but they encourage researchers not to organize their data this way. Little guidance in how to make or use typologies

4 Introduction Goals for today s talk To demystify typologies: What is a typology? How do you construct a typology? Why would you use a typology? How can typologies be useful? To show that typologies are an important tool for rigorous political science research. Relevant reading: David Collier, Jody LaPorte and Jason Seawright, Putting Typologies to Work: Concept Formation, Measurement, and Analytic Rigor, Political Research Quarterly, 65:1.

5 Outline Defining typologies Categorical variables & Levels of measurement Descriptive typologies Putting typologies to work Evaluating typologies

6 Defining Typologies Typologies as an organized system of types Types: A set of mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive categories that are used to measure an overarching concept and to classify cases.

7 Categorical Variables Definition: Nominal and ordinal scales - Nominal - Ordinal - Interval - Ratio Criticisms: - Contain less information - Fewer permissible statistics - Hide multidimensionality - of little interest, conceptual laziness, weakest and least precise

8 Categorical Variables Definition: Nominal and ordinal scales - Nominal - Ordinal - Interval - Ratio Criticisms: - Contain less information - Fewer permissible statistics - Hide multidimensionality - of little interest, conceptual laziness, weakest and least precise Why work with categorical variables? Appropriateness based on - Conceptualization - Empirical cases - Available data

9 Descriptive vs Explanatory Typologies Descriptive typologies The combination of values on the dimensions describes the named analytic types contained in the cells Example: Matland s typology of policy implementation Conflict High Low High Administrative Implementation Political Implementation Ambiguity Low Experimental Implementation Symbolic Implementation

10 Descriptive vs Explanatory Typologies Descriptive typologies The combination of values on the dimensions describes the named analytic types contained in the cells Explanatory typologies The dimensions contain hypothesized explanations for the outcomes contained in the cells.

11 Ertman (1990) -- Typology of Early Modern State Formation Type of local government during early statebuilding Administrative Participatory Pre-1450 Onset of Geopolitical Competition Post-1450 Patrimonial Absolutism Bureaucratic Absolutism Bureaucratic Constitutionalism Patrimonial Constitutionalism Type of local government Type of early modern state Onset of Geopolitical Competition

12 Descriptive Typologies Main components: Overarching concept: the concept measured by the typology Dimension(s): the distinguishing / defining characteristics of the overarching concept. Analytic types: Categories that result Relationship between overarching concept & analytic types: arranged in a kind hierarchy (Sartori 1970, Collier and Mahon 1993, Collier and Levitsky 1997)

13 Descriptive Typologies Dimensions: How many? Uni-dimensional typologies: organized around a single dimension Within this dimension, types or categories may be unordered, and therefore constitute a nominal scale. Example: Weber s typology of authority. Traditional, Charismatic, Rational Or types may be ordered along this dimension, and therefore constitute an ordinal scale. Example: Krasner s makers, breakers, and takers. ß control over regime formation à

14 Descriptive Typologies Dimensions: How many? Multi-dimensional typologies: cross-tabulate of two or more dimensions to form multi-dimensional categorical variables. Two dimensional example: Policy Implementation Conflict High Low High Administrative Implementation Political Implementation Ambiguity Low Experimental Implementation Symbolic Implementation

15 Putting Typologies to Work 1) Concept formation and measurement Creating categorical variables Identifying variation in type Unpacking multi-dimensional concepts 2) Structure comparisons within a research project Typologies help to conceptualize and classify the empirical cases that are compared in a research project. Inductive / theory-building work: sorting and classifying cases Deductive / theory-testing work: case selection

16 Putting Typologies to Work 3) Bring literatures into dialogue to create a new research agenda Example: Scheiter and Issar manuscript Figure 1: Typology of Early Government Terminations Strategic Context of Termination Incumbent Opportunism Incumbent Failure Mechanism of Termination Election Opportunistic Election Failure-induced Election Replacement Opportunistic Replacement Failure-induced Replacement

17 Putting Typologies to Work 4) Overcome an analytical impasse Example: Vasquez (1993) on the causes of war Literature was at an impasse: Inconsistent findings Vasquez argues inconsistencies arise because quantitative work has been analyzed war at too high a level of analysis. Solution: Disaggregates war along three dimensions Equal versus unequal distribution of power Limited versus total war Number of participants Focuses his analysis on one type of war: Wars of rivalry

18 Evaluating Typologies Structurally sound Categories are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive Dimensions are clear; consistently descriptive or explanatory Descriptively Productive More variation between categories than within them Within-category cohesion Casually Meaningful Do these categories produce different outcomes? Are these categories produced by different factors?

19 Using Typologies in Comparative Research Dr. Jody LaPorte DPIR & St Hilda s College Qualitative Research Methods Seminar Nuffield College October 22, 2014