CP data is crap and the theory is too vague to do high end empirical work. I should have just done formal or specialized on one country.
Anyone else here hate comparative politics?
(44 posts) (2 voices)-
Posted 2 months ago #
-
CP is horrible!!!! It is my most hated subfield.
Posted 2 months ago # -
Cross-national data is mostly crap. But CP has lots of good data that is not cross-national, as much as American when you aggregate across the various countries and regions that people study.
Posted 2 months ago # -
Only CP that seems worth reading is empirical applications of formal like what you see Diermeier, Shepsle, etc doing.
Posted 2 months ago # -
You would have to be interested in the political systems of countries other than the U.S. to appreciate it or do it well.
Posted 2 months ago # -
What about that book by that guy, Dringer at Berkeley? It's some PoMo crumble cake, but it's about zombies, and that's my kind of comparative politics.
Posted 2 months ago # -
Depends on which sub-field within CP you have in mind. Public opinion data is fairly good due to cross national surveys (for regions that do those anyway). Institutional data is very patchy though, yes. I started off grad school as an "institutionalist" but the constant battle for having even barely presentable/valid data was too exhausting so I switched to behavior.
That said, many IR folks complain about lack of data too so guess it's all relative.
Posted 2 months ago # -
Yes, most cross-national comparative politics is crap. Like macro econ, but worse. There will be no meaningful advances in our lifetime. It's at the phrenology stage.
Subnational comparative politics, however, can make advances. More units to compare, and more chances for strong design.
But it's an open question whether theory in micro political science or micro econ "travels" in any meaningful way.
Posted 2 months ago # -
Why do you hate culture?
Posted 2 months ago # -
^ Dear troll, who said anything about culture? Clearly you are trying to get some comparativists wired.
Posted 2 months ago # -
Teaching kids at SLACs is what matters, gang.
Posted 2 months ago # -
" I started off grad school as an "institutionalist" but the constant battle for having even barely presentable/valid data was too exhausting so I switched to behavior. "
I'm in this situation but too late to turn back. I have to grit my teeth and pump out turd CP dissertation. I'm branching out into subfields where you can have more traction for good research design but the process has left me viscerally detesting polisci and political scientists. Stay away from the CP folks. :(
Posted 2 months ago # -
I've never really seen much good comparative work. Except for that PoMo crumble cake about zombies by Dave Dixon.
Posted 2 months ago # -
If your world is completely focused on number crunching, Comparative Politics could be a challenge. I feel sorry for you, due to the narrow training you've gotten. Too bad you didn't get a genuine education
Posted 2 months ago # -
^you're the one in need of education, bozo.
Posted 2 months ago # -
Yeah right. But comparative is too hard for you? Hahahaha
Posted 2 months ago # -
^ Go go quant hero! Solve the world's problems! Reveal those laws! Such bravado! Such confidence! Such [enter superlative here]! I'm rootin' for ya man.
Posted 2 months ago # -
econ trolls go home to your boring subject.
Posted 2 months ago # -
No these aren't econ trolls. These are grad snowflakes doing their methods sequence and here to shine the light of TRUTH on us all.
Posted 2 months ago # -
Someone needs to do some decent CP work. Like that Darrell Dinger guy at FSU who wrote that zombie book. It's PoMo crumble cake at its best.
Posted 2 months ago # -
I thought it was Donna Douglas at the Univ of Tennessee? Anyway, I agree, zombie crumble cake is the best in PoMo CP
Posted 2 months ago # -
At least CP stuff is interesting to read. You know what's the worst? IR qualie stuff. Like this, http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/22595/dont_come_home_america.html
Posted 2 months ago # -
^That article is pretty interesting actually.
Posted 2 months ago # -
American is the biggest snooze-fest. Laser-sharp methods for the tiniest, most irrelevant questions. Yeah, you guys are the real intellects around here.
Posted 2 months ago # -
My thesis is on the most exciting topic in the whole universe. I am such a great intellectual.
Posted 2 months ago # -
Being methods and not problem driven is pathetic. Go be an accountant or study dentistry or something. You could get better data so you could have your strong design and stop bothering people actually interested in political phenomena.
Posted 2 months ago # -
If you were this person:
http://www.princeton.edu/~cboix/cv-boix.pdf
you wouldn't be writing such nonsense about CP
Posted 2 months ago # -
This discussion reminds me of that undergraduate who feels entitled to an A because she's so passionate about her essay topic and believes she has so many unique insights to share.
Posted 2 months ago # -
?
Posted 2 months ago # -
Can I just say that Carles Boix has just an incredible CV. Incredible.
Posted 2 months ago #