Valtio-oppi ilman valtiota (I)

Semioottinen tekstianalyysi kerronnallisista rakenteista Jussi Teljon artikkelissa »Valtio-opin tehtävät ja menetelmät»

Authors

• Pertti Ahonen

Abstract

The article is the former part of a textual analysis of a now-classical methodological proclamation of a research program in Finnish political science. The semiotic theory of »1’école de Paris», founded by A. J. Greimas, is applied to an investigation of the »elementary structures of meaning» in the proclamation, the »narrative paths» of its »modally competent» (e.g., »able», »unable», »obliged», »knowing», »ignorant») and therefore »intentional» dramatis personae, and the »narrative programs», which the paths consist of. The structures concern, from the most to the least fundamental: the meaning of political science research, the subject matter of research, the researcher, and the organization of research. The proclamation is narratively organized as a struggle between a »hero» (the »new orientation» in Finnish political science) aided by »helpers» (e.g., other behavioral sciences and Americal behavioral political science), and the »adversary» of the hero (the old political science, considered formalistic or speculative). In the final part of the article, a general model of the organization of »narrative discourses» is utilized for an analysis of the proclamation’s »syntagmatic» narrative characteristics (the succession of series of »qualifying», »crucial» and »glorifying» »tests» for the hero and the adversary), and its »paradigmatic» features (e.g., its »polemical» structure, and its repeated movement from »lack» to »elimination of lack»).