包刚升
【摘要】比较政治学是政治学领域20世纪下半叶兴起的最重要的研究分支。就议题与理论而言，比较政治学自21世纪以来在许多领域取得了重大进展。第一，国家理论实现了从边缘到主流的转换，国家构建、国家能力与国家认同不仅成了主要的研究议题，而且产生了丰硕的研究成果。第二，政体与转型经历了从单一到多样的变化，发展中世界的民主化研究、发达工业民主国家的民主研究以及关于威权政体的研究齐头并进，形成许多重要发现。第三，政治制度研究完成了从粗放研究到精细研究的转向，全面转向新制度主义，宪法工程学随之开始兴起，高度分裂社会的政治制度与宪法设计成为热点问题。第四，政治冲突与内战议题实现了理论化，而不再是停留在现象描述上，关于族群与宗教冲突、政治暴力以及内战的比较研究成为新热点。总之，21世纪以来的比较政治学走在政治现实与理论构建之间，更多表现为政治现实驱动的特点。如今，面对全球政治新现实，比较政治学仍然面临着能否给应对政治现实提供有效理论的挑战。
【关 键 词】比较政治；国家构建；民主转型；政治制度；族群冲突
【作 者】包刚升，复旦大学国际关系与公共事务学院（上海，200433）
【Title】Between Political Reality and Theoretical Construction: Comparative Politics in the 21st Century
【Abstract】Comparative politics, which emerged in the second half of the 20th century, is the most important branch of political science. In terms of issues and theories, comparative politics has made significant progress since the 21st century. Firstly, the theory of the state has made the transition from periphery to mainstream. The area of state-building, state capacity and national identity have not only become major research topics, but also produced fruitful results. Secondly, political regime and democratization have undergone a change from simplicity to diversity. The study of democratization in the developing world, the study of democracy in developed industrial democracies and the study of authoritarian regimes have gone hand in hand, resulting in many findings. Thirdly, the study of political institutions has completed a shift from crude to refined research. It shifted to new institutionalism, constitutional engineering began to emerge, and the design of political systems and constitutions in highly divided societies became a hot topic. Finally, the issue of political conflict and civil war was theorized, rather than remaining a description of phenomena. Comparative studies of ethnic and religious conflicts, political violence and civil wars have become a new theoretical issue. In short, comparative politics has walked the line between political reality and theoretical construction since the 21st century, and has been more characterized by driven by political reality. Today, comparative politics still faces the challenge of providing effective theories of political reality and effective solutions to improve them.
【Key Words】Comparative politics, State building, Democratization, Political institutions, Ethnic conflicts