Department of Political Science

How do comparativists incorporate networks into their studies? What is the utility of network analysis to the subfield of comparative politics? These are timely questions, because the subfield of comparative politics has long recognized the importance of various relational phenomena but is only beginning to pay systematic attention to political networks proper. To answer these questions, this chapter reviews network-related approaches embedded in studies of collective action and contentious politics, political economy, and clientelism. It offers a prospective review of major themes in comparative politics that are essentially relational and hence ripe for network analysis. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of methodological challenges to enable comparative analysis across countries, which is an ultimate goal to bring a truly comparative dimension to relational perspectives on domestic politics.