Word: rationales
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"[Rational choice] is a natural way of studying comparative politics, but it's not the only way," says Colton, who is also Feldberg Professor of Government and Russian Studies. "I don't see why [rational choice] is at cross-purposes... with the multi-culture studies that we have built since...
Hall also believes that the rational choice approaches have much to add to the debate but formal theorists often overstate their importance.
"There is no doubt that some scholars, although not necessarily at Harvard, believe that rational choice has proven to be a master key that can unify the discourse and render it more scientific," Hall says. "Despite my own interest in rational choice analysis I'm skeptical of that view. It...
Most students say they see a division more between quantitative versus qualitative methods than between the similar area studies versus rational choice debate.
"[Rational choice] is a healthy move toward rigor in studies," says Pepper D. Culpepper, a graduate student in comparative politics. "[But] the department maintains a lot of value for the importance of area studies."