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Change and continuity: an institutional approach to institutions of democratic government

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2009

Johan P. Olsen
Johan P. Olsen*
Affiliation:
Arena Center for European Studies, University of Oslo, Norway
*
Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

While it is commonplace to argue that political institutions are a source of inertia and resistance to change and the New Institutionalism is unable to explain change, this paper takes the opposite view. First, the problem of change is reformulated and it is observed that institutions have a role in generating both order and change and in balancing the two. Second, the concepts of institution and institutionalization are elaborated. Third, institutional sources of change and continuity are explored. Fourth, some implications for how democratic change and order can be conceived are spelled out, and, finally, some future challenges are suggested.

Type
Research Article
Information
European Political Science Review , Volume 1 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 3 - 32
Copyright
Copyright © European Consortium for Political Research 2009

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