IG Parser: A Software Package for the Encoding of Institutional Statements using the Institutional Grammar

TL;DR

IG Parser is a software tool that automates the encoding of institutional statements from natural language into structured formats, supporting rigorous analysis of social rules and norms.

Contribution

It introduces IG Parser, a novel software that operationalizes Institutional Grammar 2.0 through a specialized syntax and automates data transformation for institutional analysis.

Findings

Facilitates qualitative content analysis of institutional statements.

Supports transformation into multiple formats for diverse analytical techniques.

Enhances rigor and efficiency in encoding social norms.

Abstract

This article provides an overview of IG Parser, a software that facilitates qualitative content analysis of formal (e.g., legal) rules or informal (e.g., social) norms, and strategies (such as conventions) -- referred to as institutions -- that govern social systems and operate configurally to describe institutional systems. To this end, the IG Parser employs a distinctive syntax that ensures rigorous encoding of natural language, while automating the transformation into various formats that support the downstream analysis using diverse analytical techniques. The conceptual core of the IG Parser is an associated syntax, IG Script, that operationalizes the conceptual foundations of the Institutional Grammar, and more specifically the Institutional Grammar 2.0, an analytical paradigm for institutional analysis. This article presents the IG Parser, including its conceptual foundations, the syntax specification of IG Script, and its architectural principles. This overview is augmented with selective illustrative examples that highlight its use and the associated benefits.