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Fuzzy Decision Making in Politics: A Linguistic Fuzzy-Set Approach (LFSA)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2017

Badredine Arfi
Badredine Arfi*
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, Southern Illinois University, Faner Hall, Mailcode 4501, Carbondale, IL 62901. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

In this article I use linguistic fuzzy-set theory to analyze the process of decision making in politics. I first introduce a number of relevant elements of (numerical and linguistic) fuzzy-set theory that are needed to understand the terminology as well as to grasp the scope and depth of the approach. I then explicate a linguistic fuzzy-set approach (LFSA) to the process of decision making under conditions in which the decision makers are required to simultaneously satisfy multiple criteria. The LFSA approach is illustrated through a running (hypothetical) example of a situation in which state leaders need to decide how to combine trust and power to make a choice on security alignment.

Type
Research Article
Information
Political Analysis , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , Winter 2005 , pp. 23 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Political Methodology 2005 

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