political science

Table 4.1 The ontological distinctiveness of constructivist institutionalism

Rational choiceinstitutionalism

Historicalinstitutionalism

Normative/sociologicalinstitutionalism

Constructivist institutionalism

Theoretical approach

Context-specifictheoreticalmodelling (wherepossible);qualified parsimony

To contextualizeagency bothhistorically andinstitutionally; tosensitize analyststo logics of pathdependence

To contextualizeagency culturally andinstitutionally; tosensitize analyststo logics of appropriateconduct withininstitutionalized settings

To sensitize the analystto key moments of changeand to the conditions ofexistence of complexinstitutional change

Theoretical assumptions

‘‘Calculus’’approach—actorsare instrumentallyrational

Actors display acombination of ‘‘cultural’’and ‘‘calculus’’ logics

‘‘Cultural’’ approach—actorsfollows normsand conventions

Actors are both strategicand socialized—they canbehave in a variety ofdifferent ways

Analytical approach

Deductive

Deductive–inductive

Method

Mathematicalmodeling(where possible)

Theoretically-informed;historical; narrative

Often statistical(thesis testing);sometimesnarrative

Theoretically-informed processtracing; discourseanalysis

Conception ofinstitutions

‘‘The rules of thegame in asociety’’ (North)

‘‘Formal and informalprocedures, routines,norms andconventions’’ (Hall)

Cultural conventions,norms, cognitiveframes

Institutions ascodified systems ofideas and thepractices they sustain

Institutionalchange

1 Focus on the(positive) functionsan institutionperforms

1 Focus on institutionalcreation as definingthe path downwhich subsequent

1 Focus oninstitutional creationas the diffusion ofa pre-existing

1 Focus on the sociallyconstructed nature ofpolitical opportunitystructures