Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences (BCSIA STUDIES IN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY) - Tapa dura

-- David Dessler, Associate Professor of Government, College of William and Mary -- Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Ren?e Belfer Professor of International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University " The more widely this book is read, the better future social science will be." -- Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Rene e Belfer Professor of International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University " In scope, clarity, and erudition, this book sets a new standard not just in the analysis of case-study methods, but in the study of social science methods more broadly." -- David Dessler, Associate Professor of Government, College of William and Mary & quot; The more widely this book is read, the better future social science will be.& quot; -- Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Ren& eacute; e Belfer Professor of International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University & quot; In scope, clarity, and erudition, this book sets a new standard not just in the analysis of case-study methods, but in the study of social science methods more broadly.& quot; -- David Dessler, Associate Professor of Government, College of William and Mary "The more widely this book is read, the better future social science will be."--Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University "In scope, clarity, and erudition, this book sets a new standard not just in the analysis of case-study methods, but in the study of social science methods more broadly."--David Dessler, Associate Professor of Government, College of William and Mary

Winner of the 2006 Giovanni Sartori Book Award, given by the American Political Science Association's Qualitative Methods Section.The use of case studies to build and test theories in political science and the other social sciences has increased in recent years. Many scholars have argued that the social sciences rely too heavily on quantitative research and formal models and have attempted to develop and refine rigorous methods for using case studies. This text presents a comprehensive analysis of research methods using case studies and examines the place of case studies in social science methodology. It argues that case studies, statistical methods, and formal models are complementary rather than competitive. The book explains how to design case study research that will produce results useful to policymakers and emphasizes the importance of developing policy-relevant theories. It offers three major contributions to case study methodology: an emphasis on the importance of within-case analysis, a detailed discussion of process tracing, and development of the concept of typological theories. "Case Studies and Theory Development in the Social Sciences" will be particularly useful to graduate students and scholars in social science methodology and the philosophy of science, as well as to those designing new research projects, and will contribute greatly to the broader debate about scientific methods.