Gianluca Pozzoni: Concept Formation in Political Science
Despite its unparalleled importance in the social science landscape, concept formation in political science remains an exceptionally undertheorized issue. Those who have tried to analyze the role of concepts in political science typically saw them as mirroring concrete differences among different classes of phenomena. This is tantamount to defending the existence of “natural kinds” in political reality. Others have pointed to the fact that political conceptualizations in practice defy sharp divisions among classes of phenomena. I propose that such dilemma can be overcome by regarding political concepts as indicating “cluster-kinds” rather than “natural kinds”.
Despite its unparalleled importance in the social science landscape, concept formation in political science remains an exceptionally undertheorized issue. Those who have tried to analyze the role of concepts in political science typically saw them as mirroring concrete differences among different classes of phenomena. This is tantamount to defending the existence of “natural kinds” in political reality. Others have pointed to the fact that political conceptualizations in practice defy sharp divisions among classes of phenomena. I propose that such dilemma can be overcome by regarding political concepts as indicating “cluster-kinds” rather than “natural kinds”.