Structuring Politics: Historical Institutionalism in Comparative Analysis

Description

This volume brings together original essays by scholars working on a diverse range of empirical issues, but whose work is in each case informed by a 'historical institutional' approach to the study of politics. By bringing these pieces together, the volume highlights the methodological and theoretical foundations of this approach and illustrates the general contributions it has made to comparative politics. The essays demonstrate the potential of the approach to illuminate a broad range of issues such as how and why institutions change, how political ideas are filtered through institutional structures in the formation of specific policies, and how institutional structure can have unintended effects on the shaping of policy. The reader is provided with both a thorough understanding of the method of analysis and an overview of the theoretical underpinnings of the approach.

"More than just a collection of essays, Structuring Politics is a showcase revealing how historically-grounded institutional analysis can push forward the frontiers of comparative politics. The authors use a diverse and rich subject matter to show, not simply that 'institutions matter,' but how they matter in shaping--and being shaped by--the political process over time." Hugh Heclo, George Mason University "Structuring Politics achieves a rare degree of intellectual coherence in the diverse empirical material it covers. Its succinct statement, sophisticated refinement, and imaginative extension of the historical institutional perspective enriches greatly our understanding of the study of politics." Peter J. Katzenstein, Cornell University "...a well-organized, consistently excellent set of research articles, all of which provide new insights and data." Thomas A. Koelble, Comparative Politics