The Oxford Handbook of Historical Institutionalism: Exploring the Dynamics of Institutional Change

The Oxford Handbook of Historical Institutionalism is a comprehensive and authoritative reference work on the theory and practice of historical institutionalism, a major approach in the social sciences that emphasizes the role of institutions in shaping social and political outcomes.

Edited by leading scholars in the field, the Handbook provides a state-of-the-art overview of the field, covering a wide range of topics including the origins and development of historical institutionalism, its key concepts and theoretical frameworks, and its applications to a variety of substantive areas.

The Handbook is an essential resource for scholars and students of political science, sociology, economics, and other social sciences, as well as for policymakers and practitioners interested in the role of institutions in social and political change.

The Oxford Handbook of Historical Institutionalism (Oxford Handbooks)

by Pamela S. Karlan

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	6676 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	676 pages
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Historical institutionalism emerged as a distinct approach to the study of politics and society in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was a response to the perceived limitations of both rational choice institutionalism and historical sociology.

Rational choice institutionalism, which emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, emphasized the role of rational actors in shaping institutions. However, rational choice institutionalists often ignored the historical context in which institutions were created and changed.

Historical sociology, on the other hand, emphasized the role of historical context in shaping institutions. However, historical sociologists often paid less attention to the role of individual agency in institutional change.

Historical institutionalism sought to overcome the limitations of these two approaches by combining a focus on rational actors with a focus on historical context. Historical institutionalists argue that institutions are shaped by both rational actors and by historical processes. They also argue that institutions have a significant impact on the behavior of actors, and that this impact can be either positive or negative.

Historical institutionalism is based on a number of key concepts and theoretical frameworks, including:

• Institutions: Institutions are sets of rules, norms, and practices that structure social and political behavior. They can be formal or informal, explicit or implicit.
• Path dependence: Path dependence refers to the idea that institutions are shaped by their own history. Once an institution is created, it is difficult to change, even if it is no longer efficient or effective.
• Nestedness: Nestedness refers to the idea that institutions are nested within other institutions. For example, the political system is nested within the economic system, and the economic system is nested within the social system.
• Agency: Agency refers to the ability of individuals to make choices and take action. Historical institutionalists argue that agency is important in institutional change, but that it is constrained by the institutional context.
• Rationality: Rationality refers to the ability of individuals to make choices that are in their own best interests. Historical institutionalists argue that rationality is important in institutional change, but that it is often bounded by institutional constraints.

Historical institutionalism has been applied to a wide range of substantive areas, including:

• Politics: Historical institutionalists have studied a variety of political phenomena, including the development of democracy, the role of political parties, and the dynamics of electoral competition.
• Economics: Historical institutionalists have studied a variety of economic phenomena, including the development of capitalism, the role of the state in the economy, and the dynamics of economic growth.
• Sociology: Historical institutionalists have studied a variety of social phenomena, including the development of social stratification, the role of the family, and the dynamics of social change.
• Comparative politics: Historical institutionalists have studied a variety of comparative politics phenomena, including the development of different political systems, the role of institutions in political development, and the dynamics of political change.

The Oxford Handbook of Historical Institutionalism is a comprehensive and authoritative reference work on the theory and practice of historical institutionalism, a major approach in the social sciences that emphasizes the role of institutions in shaping social and political outcomes.

The Handbook provides a state-of-the-art overview of the field, covering a wide range of topics including the origins and development of historical institutionalism, its key concepts and theoretical frameworks, and its applications to a variety of substantive areas.

The Handbook is an essential resource for scholars and students of political science, sociology, economics, and other social sciences, as well as for policymakers and practitioners interested in the role of institutions in social and political change.

The Oxford Handbook of Historical Institutionalism (Oxford Handbooks)

by Pamela S. Karlan

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	6676 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	676 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE