Institutional Theory in Political Science, Fourth Edition: The New Institutionalism

304 Pages·2019·2.618 MB·English

by  B. Guy Peters

Institutional Theory in
Political Science
THE NEW INSTITUTIONALISM
Fourth Edition
B. Guy Peters
Maurice Falk Professor of Government, University of Pittsburgh, USA
Cheltenham, UK • Northampton, MA, USA
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© B. Guy Peters 2019
Cover image: Alex Holyoake on Unsplash
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the
prior permission of the publisher.
Published by
Edward Elgar Publishing Limited
The Lypiatts
15 Lansdown Road
Cheltenham
Glos GL50 2JA
UK
Edward Elgar Publishing, Inc.
William Pratt House
9 Dewey Court
Northampton
Massachusetts 01060
USA
A catalogue record for this book
is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018962840
ISBN 978 1 78643 792 1 (cased)
ISBN 978 1 78643 794 5 (paperback)
ISBN 978 1 78643 793 8 (eBook)
Typeset by Servis Filmsetting Ltd, Stockport, Cheshire
6
0
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Contents in brief
List of tables x
Preface to the fourth edition xi
1 Institutionalisms old and new 1
SECTION I VARIETIES OF INSTITUTIONALISM
2 The roots of the new institutionalism:
“Normative institutionalism” 30
3 Rational choice theory and institutional theory 53
4 The legacy of the past: Historical institutionalism 80
5 Empirical institutionalism 103
6 Ideas as the foundation of institutions: Discursive and
constructivist institutionalism 127
7 Sociological institutionalism 144
SECTION II APPLICATIONS OF INSTITUTIONAL
THEORIES
8 Institutions of interest representation 165
9 International institutionalism 184
SECTION III ISSUES IN INSTITUTIONALISM
10 Informal institutions and governing 203
11 Institutionalization and deinstitutionalization: Their role in
institutional theory 218
SECTION IV WRAPPING UP
12 Conclusion: One institutionalism or many? 235
References 249
Index 281
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Full contents
List of tables x
Preface to the fourth edition xi
1 Institutionalisms old and new 1
1.1 The old institutionalism 3
1.2 Proto-theory in the old institutionalism 7
1.3 The behavioral and the rational choice revolutions 14
1.4 Behavioralism and rational choice as the background for
the new institutionalism 19
1.5 The varieties of institutional theory 22
1.6 Plan for the book 28
SECTION I VARIETIES OF INSTITUTIONALISM
2 T he roots of the new institutionalism: “Normative
institutionalism” 30
2.1 What is an institution? 34
2.2 The formation of institutions 39
2.3 Institutional change 41
2.4 Individuals and institutions 43
2.5 Institutional design 47
2.6 The limits of the theory 48
2.7 The good institution 50
Chapter summary 51
3 Rational choice theory and institutional theory 53
3.1 The rationality of institutions 56
3.2 Varieties of rational choice institutionalism 57
3.3 Questions about institutional theory 67
Chapter summary 79
4 The legacy of the past: Historical institutionalism 80
4.1 Path dependency as a central concept 82
4.2 Questions about institutions 84
Chapter summary 101
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viii · Institutional theory in political science
5 Empirical institutionalism 103
5.1 Building an empirical theory of institutions? 104
5.2 Varieties of empirical questions 106
5.3 The questions of institutional theory 118
Chapter summary 126
6 Ideas as the foundation of institutions: Discursive and
constructivist institutionalism 127
6.1 Questions about institutions 131
6.2 Problems in discursive institutionalism 141
Chapter summary 142
7 Sociological institutionalism 144
7.1 The roots of institutionalism in sociology 146
7.2 Contemporary sociological institutionalism 148
7.3 Questions about institutions 156
Chapter summary 162
SECTION II APPLICATIONS OF INSTITUTIONAL
THEORIES
8 Institutions of interest representation 165
8.1 Parties and party systems 167
8.2 Interest intermediation 172
8.3 Questions about institutions 174
Chapter summary 182
9 International institutionalism 184
9.1 The international system as an institution 185
9.2 Regime theory as institutional theory 188
9.3 Questions about institutions 189
Chapter summary 200
SECTION III ISSUES IN INSTITUTIONALISM
10 Informal institutions and governing 203
10.1 What is an (informal) institution? 205
10.2 Informal institutions and institutional theory 208
10.3 Further questions about institutions 210
Chapter summary 216
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Full contents · ix
11 Institutionalization and deinstitutionalization: Their role
in institutional theory 218
11.1 Varieties of institutionalization 220
11.2 Issues in institutionalization 226
Chapter summary 232
SECTION IV WRAPPING UP
12 Conclusion: One institutionalism or many? 235
12.1 Similarities in institutional analysis 237
12.2 Differences among institutional theories: They are not
all the same 241
Chapter summary: Is there a new institutionalism? 246
References 249
Index 281
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Tables
4.1 Types of gradual change within historical institutionalism 91
7.1 Types of institutional change in institutional logics perspective 160
10.1 Relationship of formal and informal institutions 206
10.2 Types of informal institutions 207
10.3 Informal institutions in American democracy 215
11.1 Two dimensions of institutionalization 222
11.2 Measures of institutionalization in US government institutions 226
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Preface to the

fourth edition
The three previous editions of this book have played a significant role in
developing and diffusing ideas about the “new institutionalism” in political
science. Although the new institutionalism is really not that new any longer,
the resurgence of institutionalism in political science that began in the 1980s
has become one component of the standard theoretical repertoire in the dis-
cipline. Although institutionalism, in its various forms, is now a central com-
ponent of political science, it continues to change and to expand its potential
contributions to the discipline. Research and theoretical development con-
tinue to add new insights about the nature and role of institutions in political
life. And its role in the discipline also continues to be contested by scholars
taking a more individualistic stance on theory and methodology. I hope that
this volume, as well as the earlier editions, contribute to the development of
this approach to politics and governing.
This fourth edition of my book on institutionalism contains two new chap-
ters. The first of these chapters, Chapter 10, addresses the existence, and
nature, of informal institutions, and their relationships with formal institu-
tions. Although some patterns of political behavior are not structured by
formal institutions, their nature is still that of institutions, and must be
understood as complements or alternatives to the formal institutions of gov-
ernment. In addition, these institutions are becoming increasingly important
as governance becomes more influenced by informal processes and actors,
and is less confined to the formal structures of government.
The second new chapter, Chapter 11, is a detailed discussion of institu-
tionalization and deinstitutionalization. Although each of the chapters on
approaches to institutions contains some description of how institutions
are formed within the approach, and how they change, I thought it was
still important to discuss the continuing processes of building and disman-
tling institutions. Most of the discussion of institutions treats them as a
dichotomy – they exist or they do not. As this chapter will point out, institu-
tions vary in the extent to which they are institutionalized and are capable of
exerting controls over the behavior of the members of the institution.
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xii · Institutional theory in political science
As always, writing a book is both an individual task and done with the assis-
tance, direct or indirect, of others. In this case, two graduate students – Max
Peterson and Max Nagel – have been more useful than they may realize in
helping me think through the additions and amendments I wanted to include
in this edition. My very good friend Jon Pierre provided advice and under-
standing when the words would not come easily. Alex Pettifer and the rest of
the team at Edward Elgar Publishing were, as usual, supportive and extremely
professional in working with me on this manuscript.
B. Guy Peters
Verona, PA
August, 2018
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