Concepts in Context: Ontological Coherence in Political Science Research.

This article addresses the fundamental problem of conceptualization in political science, which arises from the difficulty of choosing among multiple possible definitions for any given concept. It argues that concept formation should be guided by ensuring ontological coherence—that is, the conceptualization's ontological assumptions must be consistent with those of the overarching theoretical framework in which the concept is embedded. This "ontological coherence rule" helps researchers narrow down viable conceptualizations by eliminating those incompatible with their theory's foundational assumptions. The article illustrates this approach with an example from international relations, showing how it can resolve disputes between competing definitions by assessing their ontological fit with a given theory. While the rule does not fully solve all challenges of concept formation, it provides a substantive, categorical guideline that complements other criteria and encourages greater integration between political science and philosophy of science.