ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the characteristic methodology of the quantitative approach, as well as the quality of data at its disposal, in order to arrive at a theoretical evaluation of this approach as it applies to conflict linkage research. Any attempt to criticize the quantitative approach towards conflict linkage research must first examine the quantitative approach as it applies to international relations in general. Diverse data sets of domestic political conflict events produce quite similar factor structures whether drawn from global or regional sources. The terminology “manifestations of conflict behavior” is likely to be of use only to those who utilize Rudolf Rummel’s particular research methods. Within the quantitative school, criticism of Rummel and Tanter has focused on their use of “cross-sectional” and macro-quantitative analysis. The central criticism directed against the quantitative approach is that it lacks a theoretical framework to give direction to the hypotheses under empirical examination.
