Diffusionsproblemet i studiet av komparativ politik

Authors

• Lauri Karvonen

Abstract

Diffusion - the fact that social properties spread from one society to another instead of being created autonomously in each society - is frequently seen as a fundamental methodological problem for comparative social science. This article stresses the relevance of the problem for comparative politics as well, although noting that it is less acute than, e.g., in cultural anthropology. The author discusses ways to check for possible diffusion in quantitatively oriented studies. Moreover, an overview of political science studies of diffusion is offered. It is noted that these perhaps too rarely view the objects and processes of diffusion as problematic or worth elaborating. In conclusion, it is stressed that the basic problem is of a theoretical rather than technical nature. Theoretical angles accommodating for both functional explanations and the possible effects of diffusion and cultural contacts are called for.