Autocracy: Toward an Integrated Analytical Framework

Abstract:

The study of autocracy is arguably one of the most visible fields in political science, producing an already voluminous and still growing literature. The field, however, is not without its problems. One fact perhaps stands out: The field has become extremely fragmented as the field has expanded. This state of fragmentation has its costs. We put forward an integrated and dynamic framework for understanding autocratic politics. An integrated framework allows us to better organize empirical data, reconcile diverging results and interpretations, and reveal neglected and hidden interactions of factors, mechanisms, and pathways. Equally important, an integrated framework exposes critical gaps within our knowledge and suggests new directions for further inquiries.

 

Speaker Bio:

Shiping Tang is Fudan Distinguished Professor and Dr. Seaker Chan Chair Professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs (SIRPA), Fudan University, Shanghai, China. He is currently a Fulbright visiting research scholar (2015-16) at the School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California at San Diego. Prof. Tang has very broad research interests and has published widely. His most recent book, The Social Evolution of International Politics (2013), received the International Studies Association (ISA) “Annual Best Book Award” in 2015. He is also the author of A General Theory of Institutional Change (2011), A Theory of Security Strategy for Our Time: Defensive Realism (2010), and many articles in journals in international relations, institutional economics, sociology, and philosophy of the social sciences.