‘ประชาธิปไตย’ ไม่เหมือนกัน: ปัญหาในกระบวนการกำหนดแนวคิด และความคลาดเคลื่อนในการวัดผล

Thitikorn Sangkaew

Authors

Thitikorn Sangkaew School of Political Science, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4979-2358

Keywords:

Democracy, Conceptualization, Measurement Error, Research Design

Abstract

The third wave of democratization has not only transformed political landscapes across regions but has also sparked at least two major debates in comparative politics. The first concerns the causal factors driving democratic transition and consolidation. The second involves conceptualization and measurement of democracy. This article argues that limited attention has been paid to the latter, leading to a serious lack of mutual understanding that hinders the generalization regarding the former. In formulating the concept of democracy, scholars navigate two primary challenges: conceptual stretching and conceptual traveling. Ones therefore might decide whether to base their concepts on classical or radial logic, both of which entail distinct trade-offs. Furthermore, measuring democracy is inherently prone to unreliability and invalidity due to the often-arbitrary lines drawn between political regimes. Researchers also risk their potential lack of in-depth knowledge about the case under study. Conceptualization and measurement in social science research are not ultimately an isolated event, but rather an iterative process that require continuous review and refinement.

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