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Interpretive Political Science has been seen as one of the major critiques against Rational Choice Theory. This review article touches upon the main cleavage between both approaches. It goes beyond the question of rationality as such and asks, instead, what makes actions being understood as 'rational', highlighting by that the socio-cultural context of rationality and its linkage to power. These two elements can be seen as the core of interpretive approaches and they lead us, at the same time, to divergent understandings of the scientific practice that Rational Choice Theory and Interpretive Political Science respectively have. These understandings can be seen as the major difference between both paradigms. Adapted from the source document.

De Europese Unie wordt wel vergeleken met een olifant: groot, wat onhandig en vreedzaam. Die olifant stapt voorzichtig de porseleinkast uit die Brussel heet en zet zijn eerste stappen op het wereldtoneel. Over de mondiale rol en betekenis van de Europese Unie wordt echter zeer uiteenlopend gedacht. Aan de hand van drie 'noties' wordt het debat geanalyseerd: Europa als 'normatieve macht', legitimiteit door buitenlands beleid en het onderscheid tussen perceptie en zelfperceptie van de Europese Unie.De Europese Unie verandert, zoals de eerste aanzetten tot een gemeenschappelijk Europees buitenlan

Power diff's & power motivation are analyzed in micro structures in a series of simulation studies, & in macro structures in field studies. The power distance reduction theory is used as a tool for this analysis. The theory consists of 14 hyp's; the core of the theory holds that persons tend to strive for reduction of power diff's between themselves & the more powerful, & that they will do so more strongly the smaller this diff is. These hyp's are strongly supported by the empirical data. It is concluded that certain societal & org'al structures provide favorable conditions for the so-called 'power learning'; that is for learning to shift from dysfunctional power relationships, such as blind formal or negative sanction power, toward more functional power, such as expert power; from power toward non-power influence, such as persuasion; also & specifically from large power diff's toward reduced power diff's. This 'power learning' is seen as an important target for work councils, Sch's, unions, etc. 2 Figures. Modified HA.

The existence of pol'al power often evokes a dilemma: On the one hand, pol'al power is considered necessary for attaining common goals; on the other hand, it causes a great deal of discontent on the part of the citizens. A rough classification is attempted with regard to the problems that are involved in pol'al power, to point to their causes & to discuss possible solutions. The problems that surround pol'al power seem to be brought about for the greater part by the generality of power; in other words, by a lack of specificity. Often the power is ill-adjusted to the goals of the members of the power system. Roughly speaking, this imperfect adjustment is manifested in 2 ways: (a) Those in power are not able to attain some of the objects of the members of the system. (b) Those in power pursue objects that are not endorsed by the members of the system. It is believed that better measuring instruments are required to check the use of power. It seems probable that this use of power is determined for a major part by the influence that is exercised on the authorities by persons & org's in society. Therefore, it is of major importance to find out who have a great deal influence & who have little. Investigation into this distribution of influence, therefore, is a kind of evaluation-res into the use of power. This res should be carried out by independent agencies. Modified HA.

An extensive review is given of the book Graven naar Macht ([Digging for Power] Amsterdam: Van Gennep, 1975) by H. M. Helmers et al & with the collaboration of Jac. M. Anthonisse. The word Graven in the title not only means 'unearthing', but also refers to the research technique used: the analysis of graphs. The power in question is that allegedly possessed by the directors of big corporations, who spin a web of interlocking directorates within industry & finance & with government (particularly the Dept of Education & Sciences, of Economic Affairs, & the Social & Economic Council of the Netherlands). Although the authors are political scientists, they go beyond their competence by passing judgment on the contributions of economics, which they judge to be poor or entirely lacking. They argue that economics has lost sight of the phenomenon of power because it has become so mature in a technical sense, & abstract. Hence, the authors feel obliged to probe for the kernel of Dutch economy with a new method of analysis. It is argued that the authors missed the essentials of economic theorizing in general, that they were unaware even of those areas of economics that deal explicitly with at least part of the problem they want to tackle (especially the theory of allocation & of markets, managerial & behavioral theories of the firm, & the field of industrial organization) & that they failed to discover the core of Dutch economy, whether judged by the standards of their own approach or by comparison with the insights of economic theory. The gathering & presentation of the data & the presentation of graph theory are praised. The rest of the book is said to be a failure; the authors do not live up to their intentions. Modified HA.

An attempt to show how digraph-theory may be utilized in developing a soc network-theory, esp in the field of local power & influence. Some of the ways are indicated in which digraph-theory, which serves as a descriptive-explicative mathematical model, can be used to analyze componenets of theory of local power. Power is conceptualized as a system of SR. This presupposes in every local community a certain network of exchange ties. A mathematical description is sought of some of the properties of such a power-network. A mathematical model is used in the sense of a collection of definitions. The theory of graphs as a mathematical model in the study of local power configurations is, at least in the beginning, a descriptive theory of power structures. In a descriptive model based on the theory of graphs the power configuration (made of local influentials & the set of relationships among them) is conceptualized as a graph (a directed, possibly valued, multi-graph). When this is done, theorems about the graph, which is assumed to be isomorphic to the power configuration, can be translated into corresponding statements about the power structure. In this context the validation of such statements is a purely logical validation, a consequence of the assumed isomorphy between the graph & the power configuration. This descriptive approach is presented here. 27 Figures. Modified HA.

The general question of this theoretical reflection concerns the impact of the multilevel organization of policy processes for the division of power between collective social actors. First, we deal with the shrinking of the political capacity in the contemporary era of post-Fordism & deterritorialization. In this framework, attention is paid to the ideological significance of governance. Using the concept of "jumping of scales," we then consider the different consequences of the sui generis European multilevel setting for organized labor & capital, which serves as a case study for our general proposition. Multilevel governance is looked on as a new gestalt of scales that hinders some actors but enables others to build their own jumping-strategy between the different levels. The conclusion is that the European multilevel setting is the result of, as well as the platform of, power relations. Adapted from the source document.

Typical of current work in contemporary Soviet political theory is the work of V. N. Danilenko, a specialist in French political theory which appeared in Sovjetskoje Gosoedarstvo i Pravo (1976, Apr). Danilenko analyzes some French political theorists. The needs of ideological struggle require attention to new development in bourgeois ideology. The crisis of world capitalism as well as the emergence of formerly colonial nations has created a need for a renovation of political theories. Today's interest in the typology of political systems is typical of that renovation effort. The French theorists are criticized for assuming the independence of the political & economic structures & for not recognizing the role of ideologies as well as of social & geographic factors. They absolutize political systems & study them abstractly. By contrast, Marxist-Leninist political science asserts that a political system is an expression of the relations between classes & of the means by which the dictatorship of the ruling class is enforced. Therefore, the important criteria in the classification of bourgeois systems are: the rights & liberties of the Wc, how the Wc is represented in the parliamentary institution, what share the Wc has in state power & to what extent the state is forced to respond to PO & use democratic means of government. The Soviet juridical literature is criticized for not recognizing the full diversity of bourgeois systems. However, Marxism-Leninism brings to light what all these systems have in common: they are dictatorships of the bourgeoisie. A. Orianne.

Every social problem is hierarchically structured. To elucidate the importance of this hierarchical aspect for solving social problems, the concepts of problem domain & context are introduced. For each problem, its defining instance, its definition, & its experience may be individual or collective. Subjective & objective components of problems can be distinguished. Each problem situation leads to the formation of a field of power involving various problem-defining instances, each with its particular problem definition & problem experience. Problems cannot be solved without taking into account each of the forces in this field of power. 1 Table, 2 Figures. Modified Author Summary.

Dutch literature - Flemish literature; History - Klassieke mythologie was een geliefd onderwerp bij de rederijkers van de zestiende eeuw. Deze 'fabulen' werden bewerkt tot spelen van zinne waarin herkenbare liefdeskwesties aan de orde kwamen. Er zijn negen van deze zogeheten mythologisch- amoureuze spelen overgeleverd, geschreven en opgevoerd vanaf het einde van de vijftiende eeuw. De teksten maken duidelijk hoe de omgang met klassieke mythologie veranderde in de periode die de overgang vormt van middeleeuwen naar moderne tijd. Deze studie gaat in op de verhouding tot de oorspronkelijke teksten, op de dramaturgie en opvoering van de spelen en op de overlevering in handschrift en druk. De mythologie, heidens en fictioneel van aard, bood ruimte om te experimenteren met de uitbeelding van erotiek en emoties, terwijl de dramaturgie een didactisch kader vormde dat tegemoet kwam aan de sociale en ethische behoeften van die tijd. De mythologisch-amoureuze spelen droegen daarmee bij aan de introductie, verspreiding en acceptatie van antieke mythologie in de volkstalige cultuur en aan de ontwikkeling van een effectieve liefdesdidactiek.