Author Description
Constructivism, despite being one of the three main streams of IR theory, along with realism and liberalism, is rarely, if ever, tested in large-n quantitative work. Constructivists almost unanimously eschew quantitative approaches, assuming that variables of interest to constructivists, defy quantification. Quantitative scholars mostly ignore constructivist variables as too fuzzy and vague. And the rare instances in which quantitative scholars have operationalized identity as a variable, they have unfortunately realized all the constructivists' worst fears about reducing national identity to a single measure, such as language, religion, or ethnicity, thereby violating one of the foundational assumptions of constructivism: intersubjectivity.Making Identity Count presents a new method for the recovery of national identity, applies the method in 9 country cases, and draws conclusions from the empirical evidence for hegemonic transitions and a variety of quantitative theories of identity. Ted Hopf and Bentley B. Allan make the constructivist variable of national identity a valid measure that can be used by large-n International Relations scholars in a variety of ways. They lay out what is wrong with how identity has been conceptualized, operationalized and measured in quantitative IR so far and specify a methodological approach that allows scholars to recover the predominant national identities of states in a more valid and systematic fashion. The book includes "national identity reports" on China, the US, UK, Germany, France, Brazil, Japan, and India to both test the authors' method and demonstrate the promise of the approach. Hopf and Allan use these data to test a constructivist hypothesis about the future of Western neoliberal democratic hegemony. Finally, the book concludes with an assessment of the method, including areas of possible improvement, as well as a description of what an intersubjective national identity data base of great powers from 1810-2010 could m
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates how the constructivist concept of national identity can be operationalized and measured systematically for large-n quantitative research in International Relations. Authors Bentley B. Allan and Ted Hopf address the long-standing divide between constructivist theory and quantitative methodology. They argue that previous attempts to measure identity have been overly reductive, and they propose a new methodological framework that captures intersubjective national identity. By applying this method to nine major powers, the authors demonstrate that identity variables can be rigorously integrated into empirical political science research.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A new methodological framework for recovering national identity from state discourse.
- Nine detailed national identity reports covering China, the US, UK, Germany, France, Brazil, Japan, and India.
- An application of the method to test constructivist hypotheses regarding the future of Western neoliberal democratic hegemony.
- A proposal for a comprehensive intersubjective national identity database spanning 1810-2010.
Scope Limits
- The book does not provide a finished, exhaustive database for all global states but rather outlines the methodology and provides case study examples.
- It does not attempt to replace qualitative constructivist analysis but rather to complement it with quantitative rigor.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts in the field of International Relations recognize this work as a significant attempt to bridge the gap between constructivist theory and quantitative methodology. Scholars frequently cite the text for its innovative approach to operationalizing complex social variables that were previously considered resistant to large-n analysis.
Page Count:
264
Publication Date:
2016-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
019060283X
ISBN-13:
9780190602833
National Identity
Methodology
International relations
Constructivism
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