Quantitative International Conflict Studies: A LOOK AT THE RECORD

International Studies Association panels & journal articles on international conflicts reveal a promising start which led to a growing lack of interest in quantitative studies of international conflicts. A variety of reorientations has taken place. However, consistent findings have emerged, including a relationship of national power to both cooperation & conflict, a significant but declining importance of distance, a shift from war-preventing roles for nineteenth century alliances to war-causing roles for those in the twentieth century, & a low impact of international organizations on the occurrence of war. In addition, scales of levels of war have been created. Despite these achievements, dissatisfaction remains substantial, due both to overhasty acceptance of a Kuhnian model & to differences of intellectual style with other political scientists. What is needed is not so much unification of the field, as bridging between its differing theories. 2 Tables. W. H. Stoddard.