Political Science Paradigms, Methods and Approaches: A Critical Appraisal
Keywords:
Political Science, Paradigms, Methods, Approaches, Categorization
Abstract
The problem of thematic delineation has remained huge in Political Science. Many people are unable to distinguish between paradigm, method and approach, and some others use them synonymously resulting to poor understanding and application. Consequently, this paper thoroughly reviews the terms to show their boundaries and reaches. It maintains that paradigms are loose collections of logically related assumptions, concepts and propositions upon which the analysis of political phenomena is based; thatmethods are systematic processes or strategies for sourcing and treating data for research in Political Science; and that approaches are specific principles or schemes for studying political occurrences. It classifies paradigms intopositivism, interpretivism and pragmatism; methods into analytical, descriptive and mixed methods; and approachesbroadly into traditional and modern approaches such as the legal, philosophical, historical, institutional, systems, structural-functional, political-economy, comparative, behavioral, post-behavioral approaches, among others.
References
1. Anifowose, R., & Enemuo, F. (Eds.) (1999). Elements of Politics; Lagos: Malthouse Press.
2. Anifowose, R. (2004). “The Nature and Scope of Political Science”, in H. E. Alapiki (Ed.), The Nigerian Political Process; Port Harcourt: Amethyst & Colleagues Publishers.
3. Arya, N. K. (2020). “The Meaning and Scope of Political Science and Political Theory”, Ph.D Coursework, Political Science, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari,07 April.
4. Beck, N. (1999). Political Methodology - A Welcoming Discipline, Department of Political Science, University of California, San Diego, retrieved from [email protected].
5. Bogdan, R. C., & Biklin S. K. (1998). Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theory and Methods. (3rd Ed.); Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
6. Britannica (n.d) Mao Zedong: Quotes, retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/quotes/Mao-Zedong
7. Cohen, L., & Manion, L. (1994).Research Methods in Education (4th Ed.); London: Routledge.
8. Creswell, J. W. (2003).Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods and Approaches (2nd Ed.); Thousand Oaks: Sage
9. Descriptive Research (n.d). Descriptive Research: Definition, Method and Examples, retrieved from https://www.voxco.com/blog/descriptive-research/
10. Easton, D. (1960).The Political System; New York: Free Press
11. Enemuo, F. C. (2004). “Approaches and Methods to the Study of Politics”, in H. E. Alapiki (Ed.), The Nigerian Political Process; Port Harcourt: Amethyst & Colleagues Publishers
12. Kruschke, J. K. (2008).Models of Categorization. The Cambridge Handbook of Computational Psychology, 267-301
13. Lasswell, H., & Kaplan, A. (1950).Power and Society; New Haven: Yale University Press
14. Legg, C., & Hookway, C. (2021). “Pragmatism”, in E. N. Zalta (Ed.) The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2021/entries/pragmatism/
15. Leo Strauss (1989).An Introduction to Political Philosophy: Ten Essays by Leo Strauss,H. Gildin (ed.); Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press
16. Mackenzie, N., Knipe, S. (2006). Research Dilemmas: Paradigms, Methods and Methodology, Issues in Educational Research, 16, file:///C:/Users/USER1/Downloads/Research%20Paradigms,%20methods%20and%20methodology.html
17. Mertens, D. M. (2005).Research Methods in Education and Psychology: Integrating Diversity with Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches (2nd Ed.); Thousand Oaks: Sage
18. Murphy, E., Dingwall, R., Greatbatch, D., Parker, S., & Watson, P., (1998). Qualitative Research Methods in Health Technology Assessment: A Review of the Literature; Winchester, England: Core Research, Alton
19. Ndu, E. C. (1988). Ancient and Medieval Political Theory: An Introduction; Owerri: Springfield Publishers
20. New World Encyclopedia (n.d), Categorization, retrieved from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Categorization
21. Ntete-Nna, N. J. (2004).Contemporary Political Analysis: An Introduction; Owerri: Springfield Publishers Ltd
22. Onyeukwu, U. (2019). The State and Identity Conflicts in Nigeria, The Academia: An International Journal on Research and Development, 7(3), 41- 49
23. Reed, S. K. (1972). Pattern Recognition and Categorization, Cognitive Psychology, 3, 382–407
24. Robinson, R. (1954).Definition. London: Clarendon Press
25. Rosch E., Mervis C. B., Gray W. D., Johnson D. M., & Boyes-Bream P. (1976). Basic Objects in Natural Categories, Cognitive Psychology; 8: 382–439
26. Sheppard, V. (2020).Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introduction, retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/jibcresearchmethods/chapter/1-7-deductive-approaches-to-research/
27. Van Dyke, V. (1969). Political Science: A Philosophical Analysis; Standford Calif.: Standford University Press
28. Wasby, S. L. (1970). Political Science-the Discipline and Its Dimensions: An Introduction; New York: Macmillan
2. Anifowose, R. (2004). “The Nature and Scope of Political Science”, in H. E. Alapiki (Ed.), The Nigerian Political Process; Port Harcourt: Amethyst & Colleagues Publishers.
3. Arya, N. K. (2020). “The Meaning and Scope of Political Science and Political Theory”, Ph.D Coursework, Political Science, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari,07 April.
4. Beck, N. (1999). Political Methodology - A Welcoming Discipline, Department of Political Science, University of California, San Diego, retrieved from [email protected].
5. Bogdan, R. C., & Biklin S. K. (1998). Qualitative Research for Education: An Introduction to Theory and Methods. (3rd Ed.); Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
6. Britannica (n.d) Mao Zedong: Quotes, retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/quotes/Mao-Zedong
7. Cohen, L., & Manion, L. (1994).Research Methods in Education (4th Ed.); London: Routledge.
8. Creswell, J. W. (2003).Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods and Approaches (2nd Ed.); Thousand Oaks: Sage
9. Descriptive Research (n.d). Descriptive Research: Definition, Method and Examples, retrieved from https://www.voxco.com/blog/descriptive-research/
10. Easton, D. (1960).The Political System; New York: Free Press
11. Enemuo, F. C. (2004). “Approaches and Methods to the Study of Politics”, in H. E. Alapiki (Ed.), The Nigerian Political Process; Port Harcourt: Amethyst & Colleagues Publishers
12. Kruschke, J. K. (2008).Models of Categorization. The Cambridge Handbook of Computational Psychology, 267-301
13. Lasswell, H., & Kaplan, A. (1950).Power and Society; New Haven: Yale University Press
14. Legg, C., & Hookway, C. (2021). “Pragmatism”, in E. N. Zalta (Ed.) The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2021/entries/pragmatism/
15. Leo Strauss (1989).An Introduction to Political Philosophy: Ten Essays by Leo Strauss,H. Gildin (ed.); Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press
16. Mackenzie, N., Knipe, S. (2006). Research Dilemmas: Paradigms, Methods and Methodology, Issues in Educational Research, 16, file:///C:/Users/USER1/Downloads/Research%20Paradigms,%20methods%20and%20methodology.html
17. Mertens, D. M. (2005).Research Methods in Education and Psychology: Integrating Diversity with Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches (2nd Ed.); Thousand Oaks: Sage
18. Murphy, E., Dingwall, R., Greatbatch, D., Parker, S., & Watson, P., (1998). Qualitative Research Methods in Health Technology Assessment: A Review of the Literature; Winchester, England: Core Research, Alton
19. Ndu, E. C. (1988). Ancient and Medieval Political Theory: An Introduction; Owerri: Springfield Publishers
20. New World Encyclopedia (n.d), Categorization, retrieved from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Categorization
21. Ntete-Nna, N. J. (2004).Contemporary Political Analysis: An Introduction; Owerri: Springfield Publishers Ltd
22. Onyeukwu, U. (2019). The State and Identity Conflicts in Nigeria, The Academia: An International Journal on Research and Development, 7(3), 41- 49
23. Reed, S. K. (1972). Pattern Recognition and Categorization, Cognitive Psychology, 3, 382–407
24. Robinson, R. (1954).Definition. London: Clarendon Press
25. Rosch E., Mervis C. B., Gray W. D., Johnson D. M., & Boyes-Bream P. (1976). Basic Objects in Natural Categories, Cognitive Psychology; 8: 382–439
26. Sheppard, V. (2020).Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introduction, retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/jibcresearchmethods/chapter/1-7-deductive-approaches-to-research/
27. Van Dyke, V. (1969). Political Science: A Philosophical Analysis; Standford Calif.: Standford University Press
28. Wasby, S. L. (1970). Political Science-the Discipline and Its Dimensions: An Introduction; New York: Macmillan
Published
2022-03-15
How to Cite
Uchechukwu, O. (2022). Political Science Paradigms, Methods and Approaches: A Critical Appraisal. Central Asian Journal of Social Sciences and History, 3(3), 57-66. Retrieved from https://cajssh.centralasianstudies.org/index.php/CAJSSH/article/view/267
Section
Articles
