西方政治学界对于“定量霸权”的反思与批判

Criticism and Reassessment of “the Quantitative Hegemony” in Western Political Science

定量研究已经成为西方政治学界(尤其是美国政治学界)的主要研究方法,但也出现了"定量霸权"的局面。同时,定量方法日益繁杂、深奥,出现为定量而定量的状况,并且定量学者的学术著作日益"小众化"和"圈子化",定量研究的弊端日渐显现。为摆脱"定量霸权",西方政治学界开始反思并批判政治学领域里定量思维的统治地位。一些西方政治学者认为,政治定量分析存在种种不足,政治学研究必须摆脱"物理学嫉妒"。另外,也要认识到政治学研究已经形成了两种独特的文化即定量研究和定性研究,两者分别具有各自独特的研究程序和研究逻辑,本质上两者并不存在彼此对立的关系。为超越"定性—定量鸿沟",政治学者必须摆脱对特定方法论的盲目崇拜,要以问题为导向,以问题去选择研究方法,而不是从研究方法去选择研究问题。

Nowadays,quantitative research has become the primary research method in western political science.The so-called phenomenon of"quantitative hegemony"began to emerge especially in the United States.However,the drawbacks of quantitative research are becoming increasingly apparent.On the one hand,the quantitative method is becoming extremely complicated and profound;some scholars practice such research method not for the sake of finding answers to interesting questions but for the sake of using the method itself.On the other hand,the works of quantitative scholars are becoming more self-contained and inaccessible and are only read and reviewed within small circles.Therefore,it is important to reflect critically on the dominant position of quantitative thinking in the field of political science.Some western political scientists have pointed out the insufficiency of quantitative research and suggested that political scientists should avoid and overcome"physics envy."Meanwhile,we must realize that quantitative and qualitative methods,the two established research approaches in political science,represent two different"cultures."Both have unique procedures and logic,and there exists no antagonistic relationship between the two.Therefore,in order to transcend the "qualitative-quantitative gap,"political scientists of both camps must keep an open mind to novel and innovative research methods and choose their methods in accordance with their research questions,and not vice versa.