User:Jgcab/sandbox/History of comparative politics
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The history of comparative politics is intimately related to the wider history of political science. In fact, political science in the early 20th century, was commonly referred to as "comparative government," as the discipline was practically synonymous with the study of comparative politics.[1]: 41–42 Because of this, the terms "comparativist" (i.e. a practitioner of comparative politics), and "political scientist" (i.e. social scientist who studies politics), are used interchangeably throughout this entry.
However, what makes comparative politics distinct from other disciplines of political science is its methodology. The comparative method is the cornerstone of comparative research, and serves as the discipline's most defining characteristic.
Modern comparative politics is also a social-scientific discipline which promotes multi-paradigmatic eclecticism[2][3][4]: 20 [5] and multi-methodology. Modern comparativists make use of diverse theoretical approaches (e.g. formal-legal, historical institutionalist, rational choice, sociological), methodological traditions (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, small-N, large-N), and epistemological perspectives (e.g. positivism, interpretivism, feminist, Indigenous, postcolonial, postmodern) in the study of politics.
The history of comparative politics developed very differently than other disciplines within political science such as political theory, international relations, or public policy.
However, if one were to take a broader interpretation of comparative politics, as simply the comparison of another nation's politics with one's own national politics. Then it could be concluded that virtually every civilisation in human history has engaged in some form of comparative politics.
The concept of paradigm shifts has traditionally been applied to disciplines in the natural sciences. However, comparative politics offers an example of a social-scientific discipline which experienced observable paradigm shifts in scientific inquiry.
Comparative politics is a social-scientific discipline which experienced paradigms shifts
In the 20th century, comparative politics experienced three paradigm shifts: 1)