Political science has increasingly embraced the experimental method to establish causal relationships suggested by theories and observational studies—from experiments’ traditional sub-disciplinary home, political psychology, to international relations. The most frequently voiced concern with experiments, qualms about their external validity in terms of sample, has been well documented and addressed (Coppock, Leeper, and Mullinix 2018; Krupnikov and Levine 2014; Krupnikov, Nam, and Style 2021; Lupton 2019; McDermott 2011; Mutz 2021). 1 Experiments uniquely provide scholars with the internal validity necessary to confidently identify causal effects, and issues with specific experiments tend to arise through errors of application by individual scholars rather than through any broad problems with the methodology.
政治学越来越多地采用实验方法来建立理论和观察研究提出的因果关系——从实验的传统分支学科,政治心理学,到国际关系。最常表达的对实验的关注,对样本的外部有效性的疑虑,已经得到了很好的记录和解决(Coppock, Leeper, and Mullinix 2018;Krupnikov and Levine 2014;Krupnikov, Nam, and Style 2021;勒普顿2019;麦克德莫特2011;Mutz 2021)。实验独特地为学者们提供了自信地确定因果关系所必需的内部效度,而具体实验的问题往往是由于个别学者的应用错误而产生的,而不是由于方法论上的任何广泛问题。
{"title":"Introduction to the Special Issue: Innovations and Current Challenges in Experimental Methods","authors":"Libby Jenke","doi":"10.1017/pan.2021.26","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/pan.2021.26","url":null,"abstract":"Political science has increasingly embraced the experimental method to establish causal relationships suggested by theories and observational studies—from experiments’ traditional sub-disciplinary home, political psychology, to international relations. The most frequently voiced concern with experiments, qualms about their external validity in terms of sample, has been well documented and addressed (Coppock, Leeper, and Mullinix 2018; Krupnikov and Levine 2014; Krupnikov, Nam, and Style 2021; Lupton 2019; McDermott 2011; Mutz 2021). 1 Experiments uniquely provide scholars with the internal validity necessary to confidently identify causal effects, and issues with specific experiments tend to arise through errors of application by individual scholars rather than through any broad problems with the methodology.","PeriodicalId":48270,"journal":{"name":"Political Analysis","volume":"30 1","pages":"S3 - S7"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46837499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Logan Stundal, Benjamin E. Bagozzi, John R. Freeman, J. Holmes
Abstract Political event data are widely used in studies of political violence. Recent years have seen notable advances in the automated coding of political event data from international news sources. Yet, the validity of machine-coded event data remains disputed, especially in the context of event geolocation. We analyze the frequencies of human- and machine-geocoded event data agreement in relation to an independent (ground truth) source. The events are human rights violations in Colombia. We perform our evaluation for a key, 8-year period of the Colombian conflict and in three 2-year subperiods as well as for a selected set of (non)journalistically remote municipalities. As a complement to this analysis, we estimate spatial probit models based on the three datasets. These models assume Gaussian Markov Random Field error processes; they are constructed using a stochastic partial differential equation and estimated with integrated nested Laplacian approximation. The estimated models tell us whether the three datasets produce comparable predictions, underreport events in relation to the same covariates, and have similar patterns of prediction error. Together the two analyses show that, for this subnational conflict, the machine- and human-geocoded datasets are comparable in terms of external validity but, according to the geostatistical models, produce prediction errors that differ in important respects.
{"title":"Human Rights Violations in Space: Assessing the External Validity of Machine-Geocoded versus Human-Geocoded Data","authors":"Logan Stundal, Benjamin E. Bagozzi, John R. Freeman, J. Holmes","doi":"10.1017/pan.2021.40","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/pan.2021.40","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Political event data are widely used in studies of political violence. Recent years have seen notable advances in the automated coding of political event data from international news sources. Yet, the validity of machine-coded event data remains disputed, especially in the context of event geolocation. We analyze the frequencies of human- and machine-geocoded event data agreement in relation to an independent (ground truth) source. The events are human rights violations in Colombia. We perform our evaluation for a key, 8-year period of the Colombian conflict and in three 2-year subperiods as well as for a selected set of (non)journalistically remote municipalities. As a complement to this analysis, we estimate spatial probit models based on the three datasets. These models assume Gaussian Markov Random Field error processes; they are constructed using a stochastic partial differential equation and estimated with integrated nested Laplacian approximation. The estimated models tell us whether the three datasets produce comparable predictions, underreport events in relation to the same covariates, and have similar patterns of prediction error. Together the two analyses show that, for this subnational conflict, the machine- and human-geocoded datasets are comparable in terms of external validity but, according to the geostatistical models, produce prediction errors that differ in important respects.","PeriodicalId":48270,"journal":{"name":"Political Analysis","volume":"31 1","pages":"81 - 97"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2021-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46399224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract We are grateful to DeFord et al. for the continued attention to our work and the crucial issues of fair representation in democratic electoral systems. Our response (Katz, King, and Rosenblatt Forthcoming) was designed to help readers avoid being misled by mistaken claims in DeFord et al. (Forthcoming-a), and does not address other literature or uses of our prior work. As it happens, none of our corrections were addressed (or contradicted) in the most recent submission (DeFord et al. Forthcoming-b).
我们感谢DeFord等人对我们的工作和民主选举制度中公平代表权的关键问题的持续关注。我们的回应(Katz, King, and Rosenblatt即将出版)旨在帮助读者避免被DeFord等人的错误主张所误导(即将出版-a),并且不涉及其他文献或我们先前工作的使用。碰巧的是,我们的任何更正都没有在最近的提交中得到解决(或反驳)(DeFord等人)。Forthcoming-b)。
{"title":"Rejoinder: Concluding Remarks on Scholarly Communications","authors":"Jonathan Katz, G. King, E. Rosenblatt","doi":"10.1017/pan.2021.48","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/pan.2021.48","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract We are grateful to DeFord et al. for the continued attention to our work and the crucial issues of fair representation in democratic electoral systems. Our response (Katz, King, and Rosenblatt Forthcoming) was designed to help readers avoid being misled by mistaken claims in DeFord et al. (Forthcoming-a), and does not address other literature or uses of our prior work. As it happens, none of our corrections were addressed (or contradicted) in the most recent submission (DeFord et al. Forthcoming-b).","PeriodicalId":48270,"journal":{"name":"Political Analysis","volume":"31 1","pages":"335 - 336"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2021-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41971307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Katz, King, and Rosenblatt (2020, American Political Science Review 114, 164–178) introduces a theoretical framework for understanding redistricting and electoral systems, built on basic statistical and social science principles of inference. DeFord et al. (2021, Political Analysis, this issue) instead focuses solely on descriptive measures, which lead to the problems identified in our article. In this article, we illustrate the essential role of these basic principles and then offer statistical, mathematical, and substantive corrections required to apply DeFord et al.’s calculations to social science questions of interest, while also showing how to easily resolve all claimed paradoxes and problems. We are grateful to the authors for their interest in our work and for this opportunity to clarify these principles and our theoretical framework.
{"title":"The Essential Role of Statistical Inference in Evaluating Electoral Systems: A Response to DeFord et al.","authors":"Jonathan N. Katz, Gary King, E. Rosenblatt","doi":"10.1017/pan.2021.46","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/pan.2021.46","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Katz, King, and Rosenblatt (2020, American Political Science Review 114, 164–178) introduces a theoretical framework for understanding redistricting and electoral systems, built on basic statistical and social science principles of inference. DeFord et al. (2021, Political Analysis, this issue) instead focuses solely on descriptive measures, which lead to the problems identified in our article. In this article, we illustrate the essential role of these basic principles and then offer statistical, mathematical, and substantive corrections required to apply DeFord et al.’s calculations to social science questions of interest, while also showing how to easily resolve all claimed paradoxes and problems. We are grateful to the authors for their interest in our work and for this opportunity to clarify these principles and our theoretical framework.","PeriodicalId":48270,"journal":{"name":"Political Analysis","volume":"31 1","pages":"325 - 331"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2021-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42342713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daryl R. DeFord, Natasha Dhamankar, M. Duchin, Varun Gupta, Mackenzie McPike, Gabe Schoenbach, Ki Wan Sim
Abstract Katz, King, and Rosenblatt recently wrote a broad survey developing and extending the theory of partisan symmetry. Our paper reviewed the implementability of the theory, focusing on simplified scores of symmetry—seemingly compatible with their formulation—that are in wide use. We analyzed these simplified scores and concluded that they are not suited for redistricting reform. By our reading of their response, Katz, King, and Rosenblatt agree.
{"title":"Implementing Partisan Symmetry: A Response to a Response","authors":"Daryl R. DeFord, Natasha Dhamankar, M. Duchin, Varun Gupta, Mackenzie McPike, Gabe Schoenbach, Ki Wan Sim","doi":"10.1017/pan.2021.47","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/pan.2021.47","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Katz, King, and Rosenblatt recently wrote a broad survey developing and extending the theory of partisan symmetry. Our paper reviewed the implementability of the theory, focusing on simplified scores of symmetry—seemingly compatible with their formulation—that are in wide use. We analyzed these simplified scores and concluded that they are not suited for redistricting reform. By our reading of their response, Katz, King, and Rosenblatt agree.","PeriodicalId":48270,"journal":{"name":"Political Analysis","volume":"31 1","pages":"332 - 334"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2021-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46272338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Racial identification is a critical factor in understanding a multitude of important outcomes in many fields. However, inferring an individual’s race from ecological data is prone to bias and error. This process was only recently improved via Bayesian improved surname geocoding (BISG). With surname and geographic-based demographic data, it is possible to more accurately estimate individual racial identification than ever before. However, the level of geography used in this process varies widely. Whereas some existing work makes use of geocoding to place individuals in precise census blocks, a substantial portion either skips geocoding altogether or relies on estimation using surname or county-level analyses. Presently, the trade-offs of such variation are unknown. In this letter, we quantify those trade-offs through a validation of BISG on Georgia’s voter file using both geocoded and nongeocoded processes and introduce a new level of geography—ZIP codes—to this method. We find that when estimating the racial identification of White and Black voters, nongeocoded ZIP code-based estimates are acceptable alternatives. However, census blocks provide the most accurate estimations when imputing racial identification for Asian and Hispanic voters. Our results document the most efficient means to sequentially conduct BISG analysis to maximize racial identification estimation while simultaneously minimizing data missingness and bias.
{"title":"Minmaxing of Bayesian Improved Surname Geocoding and Geography Level Ups in Predicting Race","authors":"Jesse T. Clark, John A. Curiel, T. Steelman","doi":"10.1017/pan.2021.31","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/pan.2021.31","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Racial identification is a critical factor in understanding a multitude of important outcomes in many fields. However, inferring an individual’s race from ecological data is prone to bias and error. This process was only recently improved via Bayesian improved surname geocoding (BISG). With surname and geographic-based demographic data, it is possible to more accurately estimate individual racial identification than ever before. However, the level of geography used in this process varies widely. Whereas some existing work makes use of geocoding to place individuals in precise census blocks, a substantial portion either skips geocoding altogether or relies on estimation using surname or county-level analyses. Presently, the trade-offs of such variation are unknown. In this letter, we quantify those trade-offs through a validation of BISG on Georgia’s voter file using both geocoded and nongeocoded processes and introduce a new level of geography—ZIP codes—to this method. We find that when estimating the racial identification of White and Black voters, nongeocoded ZIP code-based estimates are acceptable alternatives. However, census blocks provide the most accurate estimations when imputing racial identification for Asian and Hispanic voters. Our results document the most efficient means to sequentially conduct BISG analysis to maximize racial identification estimation while simultaneously minimizing data missingness and bias.","PeriodicalId":48270,"journal":{"name":"Political Analysis","volume":"30 1","pages":"456 - 462"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2021-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46254036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract We introduce and assess the use of supervised learning in cross-domain topic classification. In this approach, an algorithm learns to classify topics in a labeled source corpus and then extrapolates topics in an unlabeled target corpus from another domain. The ability to use existing training data makes this method significantly more efficient than within-domain supervised learning. It also has three advantages over unsupervised topic models: the method can be more specifically targeted to a research question and the resulting topics are easier to validate and interpret. We demonstrate the method using the case of labeled party platforms (source corpus) and unlabeled parliamentary speeches (target corpus). In addition to the standard within-domain error metrics, we further validate the cross-domain performance by labeling a subset of target-corpus documents. We find that the classifier accurately assigns topics in the parliamentary speeches, although accuracy varies substantially by topic. We also propose tools diagnosing cross-domain classification. To illustrate the usefulness of the method, we present two case studies on how electoral rules and the gender of parliamentarians influence the choice of speech topics.
{"title":"Cross-Domain Topic Classification for Political Texts","authors":"Moritz Osnabrügge, Elliott Ash, M. Morelli","doi":"10.1017/pan.2021.37","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/pan.2021.37","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract We introduce and assess the use of supervised learning in cross-domain topic classification. In this approach, an algorithm learns to classify topics in a labeled source corpus and then extrapolates topics in an unlabeled target corpus from another domain. The ability to use existing training data makes this method significantly more efficient than within-domain supervised learning. It also has three advantages over unsupervised topic models: the method can be more specifically targeted to a research question and the resulting topics are easier to validate and interpret. We demonstrate the method using the case of labeled party platforms (source corpus) and unlabeled parliamentary speeches (target corpus). In addition to the standard within-domain error metrics, we further validate the cross-domain performance by labeling a subset of target-corpus documents. We find that the classifier accurately assigns topics in the parliamentary speeches, although accuracy varies substantially by topic. We also propose tools diagnosing cross-domain classification. To illustrate the usefulness of the method, we present two case studies on how electoral rules and the gender of parliamentarians influence the choice of speech topics.","PeriodicalId":48270,"journal":{"name":"Political Analysis","volume":"31 1","pages":"59 - 80"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2021-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46636031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract One of the main challenges in comparative studies on populism concerns its temporal and spatial measurements within and between a large number of parties and countries. Textual analysis has proved useful for these purposes, and automated methods can further improve research in this direction. Here, we propose a method to derive a score of parties’ levels of populism using supervised machine learning to perform textual analysis on national manifestos. We illustrate the advantages of our approach, which allows for measuring populism for a vast number of parties and countries without resource-intensive human-coding processes and provides accurate, updated information for temporal and spatial comparisons of populism. Furthermore, our method allows for obtaining a continuous score of populism, which ensures more fine-grained analyses of the party landscape while reducing the risk of arbitrary classifications. To illustrate the potential contribution of this score, we use it as a proxy for parties’ levels of populism, analyzing average trends in six European countries from the early 2000s for nearly two decades.
{"title":"How Populist are Parties? Measuring Degrees of Populism in Party Manifestos Using Supervised Machine Learning","authors":"Jessica Di Cocco, Bernardo Monechi","doi":"10.1017/pan.2021.29","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/pan.2021.29","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract One of the main challenges in comparative studies on populism concerns its temporal and spatial measurements within and between a large number of parties and countries. Textual analysis has proved useful for these purposes, and automated methods can further improve research in this direction. Here, we propose a method to derive a score of parties’ levels of populism using supervised machine learning to perform textual analysis on national manifestos. We illustrate the advantages of our approach, which allows for measuring populism for a vast number of parties and countries without resource-intensive human-coding processes and provides accurate, updated information for temporal and spatial comparisons of populism. Furthermore, our method allows for obtaining a continuous score of populism, which ensures more fine-grained analyses of the party landscape while reducing the risk of arbitrary classifications. To illustrate the potential contribution of this score, we use it as a proxy for parties’ levels of populism, analyzing average trends in six European countries from the early 2000s for nearly two decades.","PeriodicalId":48270,"journal":{"name":"Political Analysis","volume":"30 1","pages":"311 - 327"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2021-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44785250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}