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In this focus article the book Making Social Sciences More Scientific by Rein Taagepera is discussed. The book proposes an innovative approach to quantitative modelling, the "quantitatively predictive logical modeling". In the first contribution, the originality of this approach is discussed, through a comparison with three traditional methodological perspectives: qualitative research; rational- choice modeling; empirically-oriented quantitative research. Then, the potential of Taagepera's approach is evaluated with respect to the problem of the relationship between concepts and signs. In this regard, the non-linear, theoretically-driven construction of mathematical models advocated by Taagepera could provide a far more accurate operationalization of the conceptual models developed in the social sciences, which often feature non-linear relationships. Finally, the possibility of integrating Taagepera's suggestion with the traditional quantitative approach -- based on the generalized linear model -- is discussed, by pointing out potential problems and possible solutions. In the second contribution, Taagepera's critique of the prevalent approach to quantitative analysis of social phenomena is illustrated and commented, along with his proposal to adopt quantitatively predictive logical models as the basic analytical tool of the social sciences. Then, it is argued that, though based on sound arguments, Taagepera's critique of generalized linear regression models is somewhat too severe, since it overlooks some of regression's analytical best strengths. Adapted from the source document.

If the US has been behind Western European countries in the field of pol'al sci, it is probably because the American scene has been less favorable for the development of Machiavellian interpretation of pol'al phenomena. To cite a distinction drawn by Mosca, American researchers have had a better understanding of the sci of gov than of the art of gov. This inadequacy helps to explain a certain backwardness in the study of pol'al ecology: thus the Tableau Politique de la France de l'Ouest, of A. Siegfried did not receive the attention in the US that it deserved. On the other hand, a sociol of elites & of bur'cy has developed in the wake of Michels. Also the study of international relations has been a stimulus to progress recently in pol'al sociol. The autonomy of admin'tive sci is also recent. In this connection, US pol'al concepts as well as pol'al practices tend toward the exclusion of all pol'al influence & toward the study of admin as a whole which is self explanatory. It is only since the end of WWII that public administration has been studied within the vaster complex of soc & pol'al forces. Actual studies are being conducted on a large scale which includes even soc psychol & anthrop. Tr by J. A. Broussard from IPSA.

A review essay on books by (1) Alessandro Brushi, Metodologia della Ricerca Sociale (Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2005); (2) Piergiogrio Corbetta, Metodologia e Tecniche della Ricerca Sociale ([Social Research: Theory, Methods and Techniques (London: Sage, 2003)] Bologna, Il Mulino, 1999); (3) Pierangelo Isernia, Introduzione alla Ricera Politica e Sociale (Bologna, Il Mulino, 2001); (4) Paolo Natale, La Ricerca Sociale (Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2007); (5) Leonardo Morlino, Introduzione alla Ricerca Comparata (Bologna, Il Mulino, 2005); (6) Alberto Marradi, Metodologia delle Scienze Sociali ([a cura di Rita Pavsic e Maria Concetta Pitrone] Bologna, Il Mulino, 2007) & (7) Paul Pennings, Hans Keman and Jan Kleinnijenhuis, Doing Research in Political Science: An Introduction to Comparative Methods and Statistics (London: Sage, 2003).