Context, behavior, outcomes, and tradeoffs: The intellectual contributions of G. Bingham Powell, Jr. to the study of comparative democratic processes

Abstract

G Bingham Powell's core intellectual contribution to the study of politics has been to help us understand fundamental normative tradeoffs that are inherent to institutional choice in democratic political systems. The tradeoffs involve dimensions of political performance of central concern in the discipline, including political violence, political participation, political representation, political accountability, and political stability. In offering innovative insights about these substantive topics, Powell's research has played a crucial role in shaping the subfield of comparative politics by offering important lessons about how to advance the study of democratic systems. © Copyright © American Political Science Association 2011.