Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences - Alexander L. George [229]
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At many points in the study, the authors emphasize that the chief contribution of an investigation of this kind is to enhance the ability to diagnose new cases correctly (pp. 3, 97, 505, 509-512, 622-624, 631, 635). On the importance of the diagnostic value of case study research, see also Chapter 12.
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Despite their criticism of comparative case study research on deterrence, Achen and Snidal acknowledge the important contributions of the George-Smoke study, labeling it “a sophisticated version of ‛middle-range theory’” which presents a “major reformulation of deterrence theory… . The discovery of empirical generalizations … is a considerable achievement, and a success that only comparative case studies are likely to achieve.” Continuing, “in the hands of George and Smoke, the case-study approach helps to generate theory in a very direct way. Indeed generalizations like theirs are a necessary condition for building relevant theory… . George and Smoke argue correctly that the deterrence failures of the second and third patterns are not those envisaged by the conventional rational deterrence theory… . They are clearly of major importance for policy, and in theory as well. The discovery of empirical generalizations like these … is a considerable achievement, and a success that only comparative case studies are likely to achieve.” Achen and Snidal, “Rational Deterrence Theory and Comparative Case Studies,” pp. 155-156; see also pp. 161, 167-168.
For a more recent statement summarizing the state of deterrence theory and practice, see Alexander L. George, “The Role of Force in Diplomacy: A Continuing Dilemma for U.S. Foreign Policy,” in Horst W. Brands, ed., The Use of Force After the Cold War (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2000), especially pp. 73-80.
Table of Contents
Praise
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Preface
Part I - Case Studies and Social Science
Chapter 1 - Case Studies and Theory Development
Advances in Case Study Methods
Advantages and Limitations of Case Studies: Casting Off the Prism of ...
Strengths of Case Study Methods
Trade-offs, Limitations, and Potential Pitfalls of Case Studies
Opportunities for Multi-Method Collaborative Research
Organization of the Book
Chapter 2 - Case Study Methods and Research on the Interdemocratic Peace
The First Generation: Contributions of Statistical Methods
The Second Generation: Case Study Contributions
Examples of Case Study Research Design in the Interdemocratic Peace Literature
Critiques and Challenges of Case Study Methods as Applied to the Democratic Peace
The Third Generation: Formal Modeling Contributions
Methodological Suggestions for Future Research on the Interdemocratic Peace
Part II - How to Do Case Studies
Chapter 3 - The Method of Structured, Focused Comparison
Chapter 4 - Phase One: Designing Case Study Research
Task One: Specification of the Problem and Research Objective
Task Two: Developing a Research Strategy: Specification of Variables
Task Three: Case Selection
Task Four: Describing the Variance in Variables
Task Five: Formulation of Data Requirements and General Questions
Integration of the Five Design Tasks
Chapter 5 - Phase Two: Carrying Out the Case Studies
The Provisional Character of Case Explanations
The Problem of Competing Explanations
Transforming Descriptive Explanations Into Analytical Explanations
Some Challenges in Attempting to Reconstruct Decisions
The Risk of Over-Intellectualizing the Policy Process
Assessing the Evidentiary Value of Archival Materials
Problems in Evaluating Case Studies
Conclusion
Chapter 6 - Phase Three: Drawing the Implications of Case Findings for Theory
Theory Development
Theory Testing
Conclusion
Part III - Alternative Methods and Select Issues
Chapter 7 - Case Studies and the Philosophy of Science
How Does the Philosophy of the Social Sciences Differ From That of the Physical Sciences?
Theoretical Explanation: From the Deductive-Nomological Model to Causal Mechanisms
Causal Mechanisms, Contexts, and Complexity
Causal