Comparative Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences

Description

This book systematically investigates the past accomplishments and future agendas of contemporary comparative-historical analysis. Its core essays explore three major issues: the accumulation of knowledge in the field over the past three decades, the analytic tools used to study temporal process and historical patterns, and the methodologies available for making inferences and for building theories. The introductory and concluding essays situate the field as a whole by comparing it to alternative approaches within the social sciences. Comparative Historical Analysis in the Social Sciences will serve as an invaluable resource for scholars in the field, and it will represent a challenge to many other social scientists - especially those who have raised skeptical concerns about comparative-historical analysis in the past.

"Devils lie at the back of this set of high-powered essays on the state of play within comparative historical studies. Bluntly, the volume is a triumph in every way, clearly superseding everything else in the field. The intellectual range is impressive. The volume as a whole operates with a sophisticated view of methodology." John A. Hall, McGill University, American Journal of Sociology "A must for anyone who wants to seriously engage in comparative analysis." EH.net, Bertrand M. Roehner, University of Paris