Methodological Approaches to the Ecology of Games Framework

The ecology of games framework (EGF) offers a conceptual framework for developing theory that is applicable to complex, polycentric governance systems. This chapter is meant to help prospective students and researchers of the EGF plan their own EGF study. It outlines the key concepts underpinning the EGF. The chapter outlines techniques of data collection that are commonly used in studies adopting an EGF perspective. These include both qualitative and quantitative data. The chapter delves into methodological aspects of measurement and analysis: these range from analysis of interviews to multivariate regression to multilevel network models. It concludes by outlining emerging and promising avenues of empirical analysis and theoretical development of the EGF. These include causal inference, text-as-data, and agent-based models. The EGF is based on six key concepts: policy issues, policy actors, policy forums, policy games, policy systems, and time.