The weakness of the neo-institutionalist approaches: how political institutions change

Tsakatika, M. (2004) The weakness of the neo-institutionalist approaches: how political institutions change. Science and Society: Review of Political and Moral Theory, 13, pp. 135-166.

Abstract

What rational choice, sociological and historical neo-institutionalist approaches have in common is the importance they attribute to the study of institutions. Institutions exert autonomous influence upon individual behaviour and thereby affect political outcomes. Where the three approaches differ is in the answers they give to three key questions: what counts as an institution? How do institutions affect individual action? How are institutions created, why do they persist and what brings about institutional change? By and large, the greatest weakness of all neo-institutionalist approaches is their difficulty to account for institutional creation and change. What is argued here is that historical institutionalism is best equipped to deal with institutional dynamics and has been more successful in doing so compared to rational choice and sociological neo-institutionalism.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Tsakatika, Professor Myrto
• Authors: Tsakatika, M.
• Subjects: J Political Science > JA Political science (General)
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
• Journal Name: Science and Society: Review of Political and Moral Theory
• Publisher: Science and Society