From Comparative Capitalism to Economic Constructivism: The Cornell Series in Political Economy

Abstract

The Cornell Series in Political Economy was established twenty years ago by Cornell University Press. Since 1982 over 70 titles have appeared under its auspices, and over time the series has established itself as perhaps the leading political economy series in the USA. What makes the Cornell Series distinctive is how it has consistently eschewed both formal fads, for example, hard-core rational choice analyses, and thematic diversions, for example, globalisation, at a time when many other presses were ‘ambulance chasing’ the next big thing. In doing so, not only has the series kept its identity, but that identity has progressively evolved over time. The series as a whole can be grouped into three broad areas: the comparative study of capitalism (Europe and Asia); international organisation and governance; and the study of foreign economic policy. Having said this, there are of course overlaps, and volumes sometimes do not fit neatly into one or other category. Nonetheless, this is probably as general a grouping as one can make. Yet, despite such generality, trying to review the entire series comprehensively would be pointless given its sheer volume. Consequently, this essay will instead give a partial overview of what I see as some of the main contributions both to, and of, the series, especially in the area of comparative capitalisms. Indeed, rather than simply review, I wish to make the following argument. Implicit in this part of the series is a progression that begins in the mid 1980s with studies of European capitalism. The basic historical institutionalist framework that this initial work utilised takes an ideational and constructivist turn within the analysis of comparative capitalism and international relations in the 1990s. As a consequence, the series is now, perhaps more than any other, pushing forward the insights of constructivist theory into political economy. In doing so, the Cornell Series in Political Economy continues to provide consist-