Dominant Approaches in Social Sciences

Structural Functionalism
Marxism
Institutionalism
Rational Choice Theory
Symbolic Interactionism
The Human – Environment System
Psychoanalysis
The Hermeneutical Phenomenology
The Feminist Theory
Institutionalism
 Institutionalism
The institutional approach can be understand as a subject
matter, as a method and as a theory.
As a subject matter, the study of political institutions is central to identity
of the discipline of political
science.
Public Administration :
“If there is any subject at all that
“the institutional arrangements for
political scientists can claim
the provision of thr public
exclusively for their own, a subject
service”
mater that does not require
“the study of public bureaucracies”
acquisition of the analytical tools of
sister fields and that sustains their
..describes that the dominanit approach
claim to autonomous existence, it is,
in public administration ias institutional
of course, formal –legal political
 Institutionalism
The institutional approach can be understand as a subject
matter, as a method and as a theory.
As a method, the traditional or classic institutional approach is
“descriptive-inductive, formal-legal, and historical comparative”

As such, the classical institutional approach systematically

describes and analyses phenomena that have occurred in the past
and explain contemporary political phenomena with reference to
past events. The goal is to explain and understand but not to
formulate laws. (Kavanagh 1991, 482, in Rhodes 1995, 42)
 Institutionalism
The institutional approach can be understand as a subject
matter, as a method and as a theory.
As a method, the traditional or classic institutional approach is
“descriptive-inductive, formal-legal, and historical comparative”

The institutional approach also applies formal-legal

inquiry. It involves the study of formal government
organizations and includes the study of public law.
 Institutionalism
The institutional approach can be understand as a subject
matter, as a method and as a theory.
As a method, the traditional or classic institutional approach is
“descriptive-inductive, formal-legal, and historical comparative”

“institutions can be understood and appreciated only by

those who know other systems of government… by the use
of a thorough comparative and historical.. A general
clarification of views may be obtained.”
 Institutionalism
The institutional approach can be understand as a subject
matter, as a method and as a theory.
As a theory, the or traditional institutional approach does not only make
statements about the causes and consequences of political institutions. It
also espouses the political value of democracy (Rhodes 1995).

Moreover, the approach offers an opportunity for infusing into the

empirical study of politics the analysis of political values.