Facts and Explanations in International Studies...and Beyond - ...and Beyond

The politicizing of facts and factual claims has led some to abandon all talk of a meaningful distinction between a fact and a strongly held political commitment. This book argues that what we need, instead, are better accounts of facts and their relationship to explanation.

List of contents

Preface and Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: Facts
Chapter 2: Descriptions
Chapter 3: Causal Explanations
Chapter 4: Explaining Outcomes Causally
Chapter 5: Interpretive Explanation
Chapter 6: Evaluating Claims and Explanations
Chapter 7: Postscript
References
Index

About the author

Patrick Thaddeus Jackson is Professor of International Studies and Chair of the Department of Global Inquiry in the School of International Service at American University in Washington, D.C. He is the author of one of the foundational (and award-winning) books on philosophy of science in international studies (The Conduct of Inquiry in International Relations), and has been working on problems related to knowledge and explanation for much of his career, including developing and teaching multiple courses for both undergraduate and graduate students. For approximately 15 years he also has taught philosophy of science and research design in short-term intensive graduate courses around the world for the European Consortium on Political Research, the International Political Science Association, and MethodsNET.

Summary

The politicizing of facts and factual claims has led some to abandon all talk of a meaningful distinction between a fact and a strongly held political commitment. This book argues that what we need, instead, are better accounts of facts and their relationship to explanation.

Product details

• Authors: Patrick Thaddeus Jackson, Patrick Thaddeus (American University Jackson, Jackson Patrick Thaddeus
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 15.08.2024
• EAN: 9781032595320
• ISBN: 978-1-0-3259532-0
• No. of pages: 208
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); Non-fiction book > Politics, society, business > Politics; HISTORY / Military / General, PHILOSOPHY / Ethics & Moral Philosophy, POLITICAL SCIENCE / International Relations / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Research, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Peace, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Statistics, REFERENCE / Research, International Relations, Warfare & defence, Ethics & moral philosophy, Ethics and moral philosophy, Peace studies and conflict resolution, Warfare and defence, Social research & statistics, Peace studies & conflict resolution, Social research and statistics, Research methods: general, Research methods / methodology