Data-Driven Transitions Research: Methodological Considerations for Event-Based Analysis

Abstract

We argue that serious progress can be made in transitions studies if a more data-driven approach to empirical analysis is adopted. By ‘data-driven’ we mean a thorough-going empiricism, where data, as many as can be mustered, lead rather than just support inference and hypotheses. Obviously, all empirical research worth its salt will relate its hypotheses to empirical data. What we suggest is a thoroughly systematic attitude towards this. An approach that enables anyone to verify exactly which data are adduced to corroborate what hypothesis – and to perhaps disagree on the basis of those data and propose rival hypotheses. We argue for an approach that facilitates dealing with many data, acros..