Contenu du sommaire

Herbert F. Weisberg : The comparative study of roll calls. The characteristics of roll call voting which make scaling possible have been reviewed. Institutional factors which can confound comparisons of voting across legislatures have been mentioned. The basic scaling models and their mechanisms have been explained. The two basic purposes of scaling analysis, dimensioning the roll calls and positioning the legislators, have been presented. The relevance of the proximity model in non-American and especially multiparty legislatures has been emphasized. Most dimensional analysis of legislative voting has presumed the existence of the dominance model without examining the possibility of the proximity model. Accepting the results of a dominance analysis may suggest an erroneous interpretation of the process mechanisms, particularly when several dominance dimensions are found where a single proximity dimension would suffice. The dominance model will still be correct in some instances, but it is essential that the comparative study of roll call behavior allow for the possibility of the proximity model. Analysis of roll call voting provides a means for the comparative study of legislative behavior. Many questions may be answered through dimensional analysis of legislative votes. While this procedure has several limitations, it has many advantages for the analysis of historical data and of non- accessible systems. Much more exploration of the available data is necessary if we are to determine how much can be learned from roll call materials.

Maurice Montuclard, Marie Montuclard, Nicole Ramognino, Pierre Verges : Structural analysis of a normative culture pattern. This research rests upon three presuppositions: 1) On account of their teleonomy, every attitude or system of action involves a pattern of normative culture; 2) the analysis of this pattern can be done by studying throughout the speech of the social actor, the themes he has tackled and the motivations he has set forth in order to accept or refuse the themes; 3) an adequate statistical processing of the universe of motivated themes enables us at least to bring out some of the characteristics of the structure of the normative culture pattern. The above assertions are tested through the content analysis of a corpus made of four French employer's periodicals (1962-65). Themes and motivations are related to the acceptance and/or refusal of social innovation in an enterprise. We have introduced a methodological hypothesis. The logical combination of themes and motivations alone does not enable us to grasp the cultural pattern which is not logically arranged. The relationship of similarity and the diagrams drawn thereby according to the analysis data enable us to read out the universe of motivated themes; thus, two themes are said to be alive when at an even statistical threshold they are in a dependency relationship with one and the same motivation. We suggest a reading method of the diagram of similarity enabling us to bring out some of the structural elements distinctive of each of the four employers' groups that have been studied. This research method could also be applied in its particularity to the sociology of ideologies, of systems of belief and of religion.

Cathy S. Greenblat : The development of simulation-games for the use of sociology. The recent introduction of this method in the United State's high school and college education convinces the author of necessity of defining this method and analysing its application. Some examples adapted to the teaching of sociology.

Agnès Pitrou : Of the good use of opinion polls. This criticism of the easily « manipulating » role of polls does not condemn their use but only means to set their limits.

Dan Soen : The oriental ethnic groups in Israel. Their position within the social stratification. Based on the administrative data collected by the Central Bureau of Statistics, this study gives many precise details about the objective inferiority of the « oriental » group's status, and about its evolution according to the following criteria : country of birth, length of residency, income, occupation, educational level and way of life.

Jean-G. Padioleau : Development patterns. The problem of comparative analysis in political sociology. In this critical notice the author examines ten patterns of political development based on the methods of factor and causal analysis. After considering the current trends in the study of politics he then makes a census of these patterns' characteristics. The attempts at formalization seem unsatisfactory in their substance as in their methods. Some suggestions for a more adequate research strategy are brought forward by way of conclusion.