Legislative institutions and Institutionalism in the United States

Abstract

Today, there is much talk of ‘institutions’ and ‘institutionalism’ among scholars, and notably among students of parliaments and legislatures. Yet, the meaning of ‘institutions’ needs clarification. Moreover, the contrasting approaches of institutional inquiry ‐ the ‘rational‐choice’ perspective and the posture of ‘historical institutionalism’ ‐ should contribute to the common enterprise of understanding representation and collective action in legislative institutions. Finally, research on legislatures in the United States of America should be struck in a comparative vein, contributing to wider understanding of legislative institutions and life.