The phrase "a distillation of maximal image" can be understood within the context of post-behaviouralism as an attempt to condense and communicate complex political or social realities into a form that captures the core or essence.
In political science, post-behaviouralism emerged in the 1960s and 1970s as a reaction against the perceived limitations of behaviouralism. Behaviouralism focused heavily on empirical data and quantifiable behaviors, striving for an objective and scientific study of politics. However, critics argued that it led to overly narrow, technocratic perspectives that neglected the broader ethical, normative, and substantive dimensions of political phenomena.
Post-behavioralism emphasized the need for relevance, substance, and normative value in political analysis. Rather than reducing politics to empirical regularities and statistical models, post-behavioralists argued for a deeper understanding of power dynamics, ideologies, and the broader social and political context. Thus, āa distillation of maximal imageā could metaphorically describe the goal of post-behavioralists to present a more nuanced, meaningful depiction of political reality by focusing not just on measurable actions but also on the larger forces and values at play.
Essentially, this phrase suggests capturing the fullest possible representation of complex phenomena, blending empirical observations with broader interpretative and critical dimensions. Post-behaviouralismās advocacy for values like relevance, action-orientation, and human concerns ties closely with the idea of distilling the maximal essence of political and social dynamics.
