Shifting Standards for Political Methodologists? Historical Trends in the Society for Political Methodology

Abstract

This symposium seeks to answer the question, “What is a political
methodologist?” We provide some historical context to this question,
focusing primarily on how the Society for Political Methodology and its
summer conference were created and how the organization has evolved
since its inception in 1984. We first describe the interests of the
society’s founders and how they viewed political methodologists. We then
 lay out how those initial perspectives evolved and how the identity of
political methodologists changed as the society increased in size and
diversity. Finally, we offer suggestions for further advancing the
society’s reach, relevance, and influence in political science.