Publication Type: Proceeding
Abstract: A critical examination of some of the justifications of case studies in political science, demonstrate that the ontology often accepted—implicitly or explicitly—is “reductionist” and “regularist”, i.e. one which respectively defines causes in terms of non-causal relations and states of affair and affirms that such non-causal relations are regularities in nature. As such this paper will argue that epistemological and methodological positions that follow from, and support, such a metaphysics logically cannot accord case studies a necessary or sufficient role in the in the establishment of causal relations. The same applies to those arguments that claim that case studies illuminate causal mechanisms, for then the justification rests on the definition of “mechanism”. If mechanisms are defined as concatenation of variables the conception of causality alluded to above recurs in another guise resulting in similar problems in justifying case studies. Ultimately therefore such defenses at best can claim a distant second-best status for case studies. However there are metaphysical positions within the ambit of an empiricist philosophy of science that support the independent and hence sufficient role of even a single case study in substantiating causal claims. Three such metaphysical positions will be discussed in this paper. The first is based on what is sometimes called a “singularist” notion of causality that holds that singular events are causally more basic than type causes. This conception, while remaining reductionist, decouples generalizations from the definition of causality. Generalizations in this case are ‘bottom up’ and change based on the relevant contrast spaces rather than ‘top-down’ and ostensibly universal. A second metaphysical view is neither regularist nor reductionist and—to be slightly cryptic—sees the general comprehensible only through the particular. A variation of this view holds that causes cannot be reduced and that they can be comprehended only when one possesses knowledge of concepts that are already causal and this preexisting knowledge is not the knowledge of regularities. Though these views sufficiently support both single case studies and comparative case studies, the paper will argue that the second position is both more convincing and provides better support to the case study method.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Develops a framework for integration of the generalizing spirit of science with the concern for the uniqueness of case studies, history and area studies.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: How did black Republicans in Darien, Georgia, consistently defeat Democrats at the polls, even after Georgia was redeemed in 1870 and even after Reconstruction was dismantled in 1876? Secondary sources, including histories and ICPSR data provide support for an interest group theory of partisanship but lack the precision required for an explanation of why Darien was exceptional. A systematic analysis of Darien and Ridgeville populations, compared to a five percent sample of the U.S. (including Georgia), using data from the Ninth (1870) U.S. Census of Population and Housing, ultimately provides the key to explaining why Darien was peculiar. In Darien, a black and mulatto middle class had the economic and political resources to take advantage of the short-lived opportunity provided by Radical Republican Party governance in 1870.

Supporting Publications:
Supporting Document

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Many studies in the field of criminology and Criminal justice are dealing with sensitive issues such as drug habits, criminal involvement, as well as issues in rehabilitation and reintegration. As a result researchers may find that obtaining a representative sampling frame may be a cumbersome task, thus resulting in none representative sampling that lack the ability to generalize to the entire population. Does that mean that studies on such important issues are doomed? Using a “network sampling”, as hybrid approach for sampling, this study suggest that not all qualitative studies are doomed to the exploratory level. Using network sampling a sample of 39 released inmates from the Sharon drug therapeutic community was obtain and compared to the characteristics of the total Sharon population to determine its suitability for future analysis. Findings show that the small sample obtained using the network sampling approach did not differ significantly from the large population. Implications and variations of such sampling are discussed in regard to small sample studies and in particular to qualitative.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: As of 2006, eighteen American and eight European states have full or partial smoking bans in effect. In the absence of legally binding federal or supranational directives, these policies have been voluntarily adopted. Both the American federal system and the quasi-federal system of the European Union can be considered elaborate platforms for policy diffusion and transfer. However, literature on policy diffusion, which typically examines American states, and policy transfer, which is largely European focused, lacks comparative analysis. Policy diffusion mainly considers voluntary, horizontal program adoptions, whereas policy transfer focuses on vertical, semi-coercive and coercive policy directives. This study integrates these divergent bodies of literature using a comparative case study analysis to examine tobacco regulation policies in the US and EU. Examining the implementation of smoking bans in California, New York, and the Republic of Ireland, the uni-dimensional nature of the policy diffusion and policy transfer approaches is revealed to be insufficient for explaining how policy travels across time and location. These cases demonstrate the effect of multiple sources, horizontal and vertical, internal and external, demanding an integrated model that incorporates these complex dimensions. Given the proven benefits of a smoke-free environment, it is important to discover how and why anti-smoking policies move from one political setting to another, and to determine the best method for successfully affecting further policy change.