From Sites to Patches

As the long-taken-for-granted liberal model of politics is unravelling before our very eyes— autocratic tendencies are on the rise across the globe, “irrational” beliefs and behavior abound, the sphere of the political is becoming increasingly amorphous—political scientists are scrambling to find new theoretical and methodological ground to stand on. This collective quest has sparked a keen interest in different varieties of “multi-sited” research. Like all methodological trends, however, I posit that this one, too, should be received with a healthy dose of skepticism as to its origins, import, and utility.