Formal models in normative political theory

Bibliographic Data

ID6299307
AuthorsH Chung (0000-0002-9320-4453, Emory University), Brian Kogelmann (0000-0001-9672-6989, Department of Philosophy and Department of Political Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume36
Issue3
Pages256-274
Publication date2024-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Theoretical Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0951-6298 • E-ISSN: 1460-3667
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/09516298241266267
OpenAlexW4400900274
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited58

This article revisits the conventional distinction in political science between ‘positive’ and ‘normative’ political theory, particularly the belief that formal and mathematical methods are only pertinent to positive political theory. We argue that formal models are equally valuable in normative political theory for three reasons: they can make thought experiments more rigorous, they can demonstrate the consistency of normative principles, and they can provide insights into the practical workings of novel institutional arrangements in the absence of empirical data. The integration of formal models into normative political theory presents challenges, including the development of criteria for evaluating these models and potential shifts in research focus. Integration can also strengthen political theory’s tenuous role in the political science discipline

Economics · Law and economics · Normative · Political economy · Political methodology · Political philosophy · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Public economics · Systems theory in political science · European Union Policy and Governance · Law · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Political Science Research and Education

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