David Collier is among the most influential thinkers on conceptualization, foundational to social science inquiry. An eminent political scientist, he specializes in mixed methods and comparative politics. Working with Concepts brings together David Collier's most influential research on concepts and measurement, refined and reframed, to offer a systematic approach to concept analysis. It serves as a reference book for both students and seasoned scholars grappling with concepts. Collier's essays are accompanied by commentaries by twelve scholars who connect his contributions to ongoing debates in the field. The commentaries open up new lines of research and provoke ongoing scholarly reaction and innovation. Tightly organized with the aim of moving the field forward, this collection of essays explores some of the contours of the field and its milestones to show how careful work with concepts is a foundation of good methodology. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Edited by Zak Elkins. The volume includes contributions from a remarkable group of Berkeley-affiliated scholars, including James Mahon, Jody LaPorte, Jason Seawright, Simeon Nichter, Daniel Hidalgo, Olivia Mijanic, Robert Adcock, Scott Straus, John Gerring, Marcus Kurtz, Thad Dunning, Benjamin Lessing, Jennifer Bussell, and others from the Berkeley community.
The strong Berkeley presence in the volume demonstrates Professor Collier's continued leadership in qualitative methods and its lasting impact on the discipline.