当政治遇上历史:比较历史分析方法(CHA)介绍

当代西方比较政治研究由于过分迷信大样本计量统计和形式模型而忽视了许多人类社会生活中的实质性重要问题。作为一种有着深厚学术传统的研究范式,比较历史分析是部分西方学者对这一方法论危机的重要回应。相对而言,比较历史分析的研究特别致力于为大规模社会结果提供有历史深度的社会科学因果解释。它们不仅关注宏大的历史问题,而且试图为这些问题提供因果性解释;不仅运用案例间的比较确定历史问题的因果效应,同时重视案例内的分析探寻背后的因果机制;不仅热衷于追寻经济社会结果的长历史原因,同时强调历史时序的重要性。尽管国内政治学界一向擅长历史的研究,但由于缺乏规范的方法意识而鲜有比较历史分析的佳作。借助比较历史分析方法,中国学者不仅可以对本土政治问题开展跨国性的比较,同时可以整合不同研究方法的长处,繁荣中国的比较政治研究。

When Politics Meets History:An Introduction to Comparative-Historical Analysis

Overly indulged in large-sample regressions and formal models, contemporary political science in the West is facing a serious methodological crisis. With a deeply-grained academic tradition, comparative-historical analysis (CHA) is what some Western scholars have employed to avoid the crisis. In general, comparative-historical analysis provides historical causal explanations for large-scale important socioeconomic outcomes. Relative to other-oriented research, comparative-historical analysis is defined by its large-scale questions and perspectives, the simultaneous usage of cross-case and within-case analysis, and central role of temporal factors. Although Chinese scholars have always been good at conducting historical analysis, the lack of modern methodological training and clear methodological consciousness results in the paucity of excellent works of comparative-historical analysis in today's China. With the aid of comparative historical analysis, Chinese scholars can not only conduct cross-country comparison of local political issues, but also integrate the advantages of different research methods, and finally enrich China's comparative political research.