IDEATIONAL INSTITUTIONALISM: EXPLAINING INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS DURING A CRISIS

Authors

Keywords:

ideational institutionalism, institutions, institutional transformations, institutional change, ideas, crisis, discourse, Republic of Belarus

Abstract

The role of agents' ideas in determining the direction of institutional transformations is often underestimated; this is especially true if one is analyzing the formation and/or reformation of institutional design during a crisis when the significance of other factors may decrease. Institutional approaches of historical institutionalism and rational choice institutionalism are not always able to adequately measure the impact that agents' ideas have on institutional transformations. Ideational institutionalism, on the contrary, allows one to focus on these ideas, as well as to analyze both ideas’ effect on emerging institutions and the impact of an agent’s ideas on ideas of other agents. Furthermore, ideational institutionalism in the form presented in the article proposes to move away from the perception of ideas exclusively as intersubjective and to separately study the ideas of each decision-maker; this allows one to assess the role of a particular agent in the formation of institutions. This approach is promising, in particular, for the analysis of the institutional changes that occurred in the post-Soviet countries after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The article discusses the main characteristics of the ideational approach and the framework of its use on the example of institutional changes in the Republic of Belarus in the 1990s. DOI: 10.17072/2218-1067-2021-2-5-15

Author Biography

Антон Онищенко / Anton Onishchenko, National Research University “Higher School of Economics”, Moscow

graduate student

References

Канеман, Д. и Тверски, А. (2003) ‘Рациональный выбор, ценности и фреймы’, Психологический журнал, 24(4), сс. 31–42. [Kahneman, D. and Tversky, A. (2003) ‘Rational choice, values and frames’ [Ratsional’nyi vybor, tsennosti I freimy], Psikhologicheskii zhurnal, 24(4), pр. 31–42. (In Russ.)].

Коновалов, Д. А. (2017) ‘Особенности формирования и функционирования диктатур с позиций конструктивистского институционализма’, Вестник Омского университета. Серия «Исторические науки», 3, сс. 416–421. [Konovalov, D. A. (2017) ‘Formation and functioning features of dictatorships from the point of view of constructivist institutionalism’ [Osobennosti formirovaniya i funktsionirovaniya diktatur s pozitsii konstruktiv-istskogo institutsionalizma], Vestnik Omskogo universiteta. Seriya «Is-toricheskiye nauki», 3, рp. 416–421. (In Russ.)].

Кузнецов, А. М. (2014) ‘«Новый институционализм»: взгляд через призму дискурсивного анализа’, МЕТОД: Московский ежегодник трудов из обществоведческих дисциплин, 4, сс. 203–227. [Kuz-netsov, A. M. (2014) ‘“New institutional-ism”: discursive analysis perspective’ [“Novyi institutsionalizm”: vzglyad cherez prizmu diskursivnogo analiza], METOD: Moskovskii ezhegodnik trudov iz obschestvovedcheskikh distsiplin, 4, pр. 203–227. (In Russ.)].

Малинова, О. Ю. (2010) ‘Идеи как независимые переменные в политических исследованиях: в поисках адекватной методологии’, Полис. Политические исследования, 3, сс. 90–99. [Malinova, O. Y. (2010) ‘Ideas as independent variables in political research: searching for adequate mothodology’ [Idei kak nezavi-simye peremennye v politicheskikh issle-dovaniyakh: v poiskakh adekvatnoi metodologii], Polis. Politicheskie issledovaniya, 3, рp. 90–99. (In Russ.)].

Панов, П. В. (2015) ‘Институционализм(ы): Объяснительные модели и причинность’, Полис. Политические исследования, 3, сс. 39–55. [Panov, P. V. (2015) ‘Institutionalism(s): Explanatory models and causality’ [Institutsionalyzm(y): Ob’yasnitel’nye modeli i prichinnost’], Polis. Politicheskie issledovaniya, 3, pр. 39–55. (In Russ.)].

Патрушев, С. В. (2009) ‘Институциональная политология: четверть века спустя’, Политическая наука, 3, сс. 5–19. [Patrushev, S. V. (2009) ‘Institutional political science: a quarter of a century after’ [Institutsional’naya politilogiya: chetvert’ veka spustya], Politicheskaya nauka, 3, pр. 5–19. (In Russ.)].

Пономарев, Н. Ф. (2016) Коммуникационный менеджмент власти: институциональные теории и дискурсивные практики: учебное пособие. Москва: ФЛИНТА: Наука. [Ponomarev, N. F. (2016) Communication management of power: institutional theories and discursive practices: handbook [Kommunikatsionnyi menedzhment vlasti: institutsional’nye teorii I diskursivnye prakti-ki: uchebnoe posobie]. Moscow: FLINTA: Nauka. (In Russ.)].

Смирнов, В. А. (2011) ‘Формирование политической элиты Литвы на рубеже 1980-1990-х годов: Роль «политиков мора-ли»’, Балтийский регион, 4(10), сс. 18–21. [Smirnov, V. A. (2011) ‘The for-mation of the political elite in Lithuania at the turn of the 1980s-1900s: the role of “moral politicians”’ [Formirovanie politicheskoi elity Litvy na rubezhe 1980-1990-kh godov: Rol’ “politikov morali”], Baltic Region, 4(10), pр. 18–21. (In Russ.)].

Шипунова, Т. В. (2012) ‘Макро-микро-макро-модель социального контроля девиантности в конструктивистской перспективе: приглашение к дискуссии’, Жур-нал социологии и социальной антропологии, 15(2), сс. 157–172. [Shipunova, T. V. (2012) ‘Macro-micro-macro-model of social control over deviance in constructivist perspective: an invitation to discussion’ [Makro-mikro-makro-model’ sotsial’nogo kontrolya deviantnosti v kon-struktivistskoi perspective: priglashenie k diskussii], Zhurnal sotsiologii i sotsial’noi antropologii, 15(2), pр. 157–172. (In Russ.)].

Шмерлина, И. А. (2016) ‘«Институциональная логика»: критический анализ направления’, Социологический журнал, 4, сс. 110–138. [Shmerlina, I. A. (2016) ‘“Insti-tutional logic”: critical analysis of the di-rection’ [“Institutsional’naya logika”: kriticheskii analiz napravleniya], Sotsiologicheskii zhurnal, 4, pр. 110–138. (In Russ.)].

Beland, D. and Cox, R. H. (2010) Ideas and Politics in Social Science Research. USA: Ox-ford University Press.

Bell, S. (2011) ‘Do We Really Need a New ‘Constructivist Institutionalism’ to Explain Institutional Change?’, British Journal of Political Science, 41(4), pр. 883–906.

Commons, J. R. (1959) Institutional Economics: Its Place in Political Economy. Vol. 1, Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press.

Fairfield, T. and Charman, A. E. (2017) ‘Explicit Bayesian Analysis for Process Tracing: Guidelines, Opportunities and Caveats’, Political Analysis, 25(3), pр. 363–380.

Fritz, V. (2007) Statebuilding: A Comparative Study of Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia. Budapest: Central European Uni-versity Press.

Frye, T. (1997) ‘A Politics of Institutional Choice: Post-Communist Presidencies’, Comparative Political Studies, 30(5), pр. 523–552.

Gofas, A. and Hay, C. (eds.) (2010) The Role of Ideas in Political Analysis. London: Routledge.

Guy Peters, B., Pierre, J. and King, D. S. (2005) ‘The Politics of Path Dependency: Politi-cal Conflict in Historical Institutionalism’, The Journal of Politics, 67(4), pр. 1275–1300.

Hay, C. (2008) ‘Constructivist Instituionalism’ in Bender, S., Rhodes R.A.W. and Rockman B. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Political Institutions. Oxford: Oxford Universi-ty Press, pp. 56–74.

Hay, C. (2011) ‘Interpreting Interpretivism Interpreting Interpretations: The New Hermeneutics of Public Administration’, Public Administration, 89(1), pр. 167–182.

Hay, C. (2017) ‘The Interdependence of Intra- and Inter-Subjectivity in Constructivist Institutionalism’, Critical Review, 29(2), pр. 235–247.

Hay, C. (2020) ‘Brexistential Angst and the Paradoxes of Populism: On the Contingency, Predictability and Intelligibility of Seismic Shifts’, Political Studies, 68(1), pр. 187–206.

Hay, C. (2020) ‘Does capitalism (still) come in varieties?’, Review of International Politi-cal Economy, 27(2), pр. 302–319.

Katzenstein, P. J. (2003) ‘Small States and Small States Revisited’, New Political Economy, 8(1), pр. 9–30.

March, J. G. and Olsen, J. P. (1984) ‘The New Institutionalism: Organizational Factors in Political Life’, The American Political Science Review, 78(3), pр. 734–749.

North, D. (1990) Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Olson, M. (1965) The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and Theory of Groups. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Ostrom, E. (1998) ‘A Behavioral Approach to the Rational Choice Theory of Collective Action: Presidential Address, American Po-litical Science Association, 1997’, The American Political Science Review, 92(1), pр. 1–22.

Ostrom, E., Gardner, R. and Walker, J. (1994) Rules, Games and Common — Pool Resources. Ann Arbor: University of Michi-gan Press.

Ostrom, V., Feeny, D. and Pitch, H. (eds.) (1993) Rethinking Institutional Analysis and De-velopment: Issues, Alternatives and Choices. San Francisco: Institute for Contemporary Studies Press.

Pranevičiūtė, J. (2007) ‘Belarus Identity: Ideals or Trades-off?’, Lithuanian Political Science Yearbook, 1, pр. 175–211.

Saimon, H. A. (1978) ‘Rationality as Process and as Product of Thought. Richard T. Ely Lecture’, American Economic Review, 68(2), pр. 1–16.

Saurugger, S. (2013) ‘Constructivism and public policy approaches in the EU: from ideas to power games’, Journal of European Public Policy, 20(5), pр. 888–906.

Schmidt, V. (2008) ‘Discursive Institutionalism: The Explanatory Power of Ideas and Discourse’, Annual Review of Political Science, 11, pр. 303–326.

Schmidt, V. (2009) ‘European Elites on the European Union: What Vision for the Fu-ture?’ in Gamble, A. and Lane, D. (eds) The European Union and World Politics. London: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 257–273.

Schmidt, V. (2010) ‘Taking ideas and discourse seriously: explaining change through discursive institutionalism as the fourth ‘new institutionalism’, European Politi-cal Science Review, 2(1), pр. 1–25.

Schmidt, V. (2011) ‘Discursive institutionalism’ in Badie, B., Berg-Schlosser, D. and Morlino, L. (eds.) International encyclopedia of political science. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, pp. 684–686.

Thelen, K. and Steinmo, S. (1992) ‘Historical Institutionalism in Comparative Politics’ in Steinmo, K., Thelen, K. and Long-streth, F. (eds.) Structuring Politics: Historical Institutionalism in Comparative Analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge Univer-sity Press, pp. 1–32.

Thomas, D. C. (2011) ‘Explaining EU Foreign Policy: Normative Institutionalism and Alternative Approaches’ in Thomas, D. C. (ed.) Making EU Foreign Policy. Lon-don: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 10–28.

Published

2021-07-03

How to Cite

Anton Onishchenko А. О. /. (2021). IDEATIONAL INSTITUTIONALISM: EXPLAINING INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS DURING A CRISIS. Bulletin of Perm University. Political Science, 15(2), 5–15. Retrieved from http://press.psu.ru/index.php/polit/article/view/4605