Description
Book SynopsisExplores alternative means of concept construction and their impact on the role of concepts in measurement, case selection, and theories. This book examines the necessary approach to concept building and contrasts it with the family resemblance approach. It provides advice on the construction and use of social science concepts.
Trade ReviewWinner of the 2007 Giovanni Sartori Book Award "This book will primarily appeal to the social science methodologist...the analysis of concept formation is interesting [and] it clearly contributes to the methodological debate."--Timothy J. White, European Legacy
Table of ContentsList of Tables vii List of Figures ix Acknowledgments xi Chapter One: Introduction 1 PART ONE: THEORETICAL, STRUCTURAL, AND EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF CONCEPTS 25 Chapter Two: Structuring and Theorizing Concepts 27 Chapter Three: Concept Intension and Extension 69 Chapter Four: Increasing Concept-Measure Consistency 95 Chapter Five: Substitutability and Weakest-Link Measures with William F. Dixon 129 PART TWO: CONCEPTS AND CASE SELECTION 157 Chapter Six: Concepts and Selecting (on) the Dependent Variable with J. Joseph Hewitt 159 Chapter Seven: Negative Case Selection: The Possibility Principle with James Mahoney 177 Chapter Eight: Concepts and Choosing Populations with J.Joseph Hewitt 211 PART THREE: CONCEPTS INTHEORIES 235 Chapter Nine: Concepts in Theories: Two-Level Theories with James Mahoney 237 References 269 Exercises and Web Site 289 Index 291
