I am having a difficult time comparing, contrasting, and explaining historical institutionalism and rational choice institutionalism for a paper because I do not understand these two theories at all. PLEASE HELP!! (wikipedia cannot be used as a source of information in my paper)

Answer 1

I urge to first read the sections on rational choice and historical institutionalism in Wikipedia. It presents clear and concise definitions of the two. You do not need to use it as a documented source, but for your own knowledge.

From those brief paragraphs, I see an analogy between these concepts and an investment club I helped form about 15 years ago. We came together by rational choice and used this method of drawing up club bylaws to benefit all of the members. By now, though, that institutionalism has become historical institutionalism and we rarely change our past rules and traditions.

Check these sites.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_institutionalism#Rational_choice_institutionalism

http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache:rUDbMBiuHmIJ:stripe.colorado.edu/~steinmo/foweracker.pdf+rational+choice+institutionalism&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShfGoYBC7QLSUDeobx61GWv29vHMUAOfGe6BbE-OqYuChhbfyG82A6kebywzciVWugc-le-hNxPRibiQZFLrUtVheOkOmSc103E1Ity24bD9oA2ZHQuJtSih-vrcPlmRzvwMvct&sig=AFQjCNE-8JShUd6Sln5CMEDUk6RaeZzxrQ

Answer 2

Thanks. I'll try to work from that.