Strategies for Comparative Research in Political Science: Theory and Methods

Description

Cover Contents List of Key Texts List of Tables Preface 1 The Importance of Comparison Forms of comparative analysis Types of comparative studies The content of comparisons Cross-time comparisons Conclusion 2 The Logic of Comparison Comparative research design Research design and case selection Levels of analysis Threats to validity in non-experimental research Conclusion 3 The Number of Cases and Which Ones? Strategies with different numbers of cases Small-N research in general Conclusion 4 Measurement and Bias The traveling problem Typologies Triangulation Nominal categories Ideal-type analysis and measurement Conclusion 5 The Role of Theory in Comparative Politics Levels of explanation Macro-level theories Meso-level theories Micro-level theories State and society Conclusion 6 The Case Study Improving case research Case studies Conducting case research Defining cases The purposes of case research The case as process Issues in case study research The role of the case researcher Conclusion 7 Building on Case Analysis Meta-analysis Boolean algebra and cumulation Conclusion 8 Events Data and Change Over Time Events data The method Relationships with other methods Potential problems Conclusion 9 Statistical Analysis Statistical modes of explanation in comparative politics The question of time The problem of context Coping with a small N Secondary analysis Conclusion 10 The Future of Comparative Politics Territory or function: choices in comparison Theory and the restriction of perspective Methods and the restriction of vision The exceptional and the ordinary: what can we learn from each? Modesty, but hope The future of comparative politics References Index