(Methods in Comparative Politics: New Developments and Methods)

Zusammen mit: Susanne Pickel, Gert Pickel und Hans-Joachim Lauth.

Wiesbaden: Westdeutscher Verlag. 2003.

Comparison as a method is one of the oldest means to gain scientific insight in political science. By comparing facts systematically, political scientists are able to discern differences and similarities, test hypotheses, develop theories and apply their knowledge not only to single cases but to a greater number of cases.

As scientists increasingly used comparison as a method in a systematic way, a number of comparative methods were integrated into the methodological canon of political science. During the past years, these methods have been improved in a number of ways. However, they have primarily been applied in the English-speaking scientific sphere – German-speaking scientists apparently do not use the full scope of methods. By publishing a number of well-founded articles written by specialists, this volume aims to present these new developments and the main content of related discussions to German colleagues who are interested in the topic. In addition, it strives to further the discussion concerning comparative methods in political and social sciences.