World Politics

Table of Contents - 1972 - Volume 24, Supplement S1 (Theory and Policy in International Relations)  

Research Article

The Relevance Potential of Different Products

Davis B. Bobrowa1

a1 University of Minnesota

International relations analysts now use a wide range of ideas and techniques. Concepts and styles of reasoning clearly reflect work in economics, organizational behavior, social psychology, operations research and many other fields. Facts thought relevant are the facts customarily used in these other fields. Methods for relating facts to each other and to ideas are increasingly those of logic, statistics and mathematics. What are the implications of this diversity for foreign and defense policy? The only necessary implication is for the length and variety of the menu international relations analysts can offer the policy person. There is no necessary implication for how important or satisfying he will find the offerings.

Davis B. Bobrow is Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs and Director of the Center of International Studies, University of Minnesota. Prior to that, he was Special Assistant for the Behavioral and Social Sciences in the Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering, and Acting Director, Behavioral Sciences, Advanced Research Projects Agency. His major current interests are in indicator systems for anticipating and evaluating international policy and the design of public institutions.