use comparative case study

This page deals with the set of methods used in comparative case study analysis, which focuses on comparing a small or medium number of cases and qualitative data. Structured case study comparisons are a way to leverage theoretical lessons from particular cases and elicit general insights from a population of phenomena that share certain characteristics. The content on this page discusses variable-oriented analysis (guided by frameworks), formal concept analysis and qualitative comparative analysis.

The Chapter summary video gives a brief introduction and summary of this group of methods, what SES problems/questions they are useful for, and key resources needed to conduct the methods. The methods video/s introduce specific methods, including their origin and broad purpose, what SES problems/questions the specific method is useful for, examples of the method in use and key resources needed. The Case Studies demonstrate the method in action in more detail, including an introduction to the context and issue, how the method was used, the outcomes of the process and the challenges of implementing the method. The labs/activities give an example of a teaching activity relating to this group of methods, including the objectives of the activity, resources needed, steps to follow and outcomes/evaluation options.

More details can be found in Chapter 20 of the Routledge Handbook of Research Methods for Social-Ecological Systems.

Chapter summary:

Method Summaries

Case studies, comparative case study analysis: comparison of 6 fishing producer organizations.

Dudouet, B. (2023)

Lab teaching/ activity

Tips and tricks.

• Basurto, X., S. Gelcich, and E. Ostrom. 2013. ‘The Social-Ecological System Framework as a Knowledge Classificatory System for Benthic Small-Scale Fisheries.’ Global Environmental Change 23(6):  1366–1380.
• Binder, C., J. Hinkel, P.W.G. Bots, and C. Pahl-Wostl. 2013. ‘Comparison of Frameworks for Analyzing Social-Ecological Systems.’ Ecology and Society 18(4): 26. 
• Ragin, C. 2000. Fuzzy-Set Social Science . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Schneider C.Q., and C. Wagemann. 2012. Set-theoretic Methods for the Social Sciences. A Guide to Qualitative Comparative Analysis . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Villamayor-Tomas, S., C. Oberlack, G. Epstein, S. Partelow, M. Roggero, E. Kellner, M. Tschopp, and M.  Cox. 2020. ‘Using Case Study Data to Understand SES Interactions: A Model-centered Meta-analysis of SES Framework Applications.’ Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability .

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Writing a Comparative Case Study: Effective Guide

Table of Contents

As a researcher or student, you may be required to write a comparative case study at some point in your academic journey. A comparative study is an analysis of two or more cases. Where the aim is to compare and contrast them based on specific criteria. We created this guide to help you understand how to write a comparative case study . This article will discuss what a comparative study is, the elements of a comparative study, and how to write an effective one. We also include samples to help you get started.

What is a Comparative Case Study?

A comparative study is a research method that involves comparing two or more cases to analyze their similarities and differences . These cases can be individuals, organizations, events, or any other unit of analysis. A comparative study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter by exploring the differences and similarities between the cases.

Elements of a Comparative Study

Before diving into the writing process, it’s essential to understand the key elements that make up a comparative study. These elements include:

• Research Question : This is the central question the study seeks to answer. It should be specific and clear, and the basis of the comparison.
• Cases : The cases being compared should be chosen based on their significance to the research question. They should also be similar in some ways to facilitate comparison.
• Data Collection : Data collection should be comprehensive and systematic. Data collected can be qualitative, quantitative, or both.
• Analysis : The analysis should be based on the research question and collected data. The data should be analyzed for similarities and differences between the cases.
• Conclusion : The conclusion should summarize the findings and answer the research question. It should also provide recommendations for future research.

How to Write a Comparative Study

Now that we have established the elements of a comparative study, let’s dive into the writing process. Here is a detailed approach on how to write a comparative study:

Choose a Topic

The first step in writing a comparative study is to choose a topic relevant to your field of study. It should be a topic that you are familiar with and interested in.

Define the Research Question

Once you have chosen a topic, define your research question. The research question should be specific and clear.

Choose Cases

The next step is to choose the cases you will compare. The cases should be relevant to your research question and have similarities to facilitate comparison.

Collect Data

Collect data on each case using qualitative, quantitative, or both methods. The data collected should be comprehensive and systematic.

Analyze Data

Analyze the data collected for each case. Look for similarities and differences between the cases. The analysis should be based on the research question.

Write the Introduction

The introduction should provide background information on the topic and state the research question.

Write the Literature Review

The literature review should give a summary of the research that has been conducted on the topic.

Write the Methodology

The methodology should describe the data collection and analysis methods used.

Present Findings

Present the findings of the analysis. The results should be organized based on the research question.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Summarize the findings and answer the research question. Provide recommendations for future research.

Sample of Comparative Case Study

To provide a better understanding of how to write a comparative study , here is an example: Comparative Study of Two Leading Airlines: ABC and XYZ

Introduction

The airline industry is highly competitive, with companies constantly seeking new ways to improve customer experiences and increase profits. ABC and XYZ are two of the world’s leading airlines, each with a distinct approach to business. This comparative case study will examine the similarities and differences between the two airlines. And provide insights into what works well in the airline industry.

Research Questions

What are the similarities and differences between ABC and XYZ regarding their approach to business, customer experience, and profitability?

Data Collection and Analysis

To collect data for this comparative study, we will use a combination of primary and secondary sources. Primary sources will include interviews with customers and employees of both airlines, while secondary sources will include financial reports, marketing materials, and industry research. After collecting the data, we will use a systematic and comprehensive approach to data analysis. We will use a framework to compare and contrast the data, looking for similarities and differences between the two airlines. We will then organize the data into categories: customer experience, revenue streams, and operational efficiency.

After analyzing the data, we found several similarities and differences between ABC and XYZ. Similarities Both airlines offer a high level of customer service, with attentive flight attendants, comfortable seating, and in-flight entertainment. They also strongly focus on safety, with rigorous training and maintenance protocols in place. Differences ABC has a reputation for luxury, with features such as private suites and shower spas in first class. On the other hand, XYZ has a reputation for reliability and efficiency, with a strong emphasis on on-time departures and arrivals. In terms of revenue streams, ABC derives a significant portion of its revenue from international travel. At the same time, XYZ has a more diverse revenue stream, focusing on domestic and international travel. ABC also has a more centralized management structure, with decision-making authority concentrated at the top. On the other hand, XYZ has a more decentralized management structure, with decision-making authority distributed throughout the organization.

This comparative case study provides valuable insights into the airline industry and the approaches taken by two leading airlines, ABC and Delta. By comparing and contrasting the two airlines, we can see the strengths and weaknesses of each method. And identify potential strategies for improving the airline industry as a whole. Ultimately, this study shows that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to doing business in the airline industry. And that success depends on a combination of factors, including customer experience, operational efficiency, and revenue streams.

Wrapping Up

A comparative study is an effective research method for analyzing case similarities and differences. Writing a comparative study can be daunting, but proper planning and organization can be an effective research method. Define your research question, choose relevant cases, collect and analyze comprehensive data, and present the findings. The steps detailed in this blog post will help you create a compelling comparative study that provides valuable insights into your research topic . Remember to stay focused on your research question. And use the data collected to provide a clear and concise analysis of the cases being compared.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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This guide, written by Delwyn Goodrick for UNICEF, focuses on the use of comparative case studies in impact evaluation.

The paper gives a brief discussion of their use and then outlines when it is appropriate to use them. It then provides step by step guidance on their use for an impact evaluation.

"A case study is an in-depth examination, often undertaken over time, of a single case – such as a policy, programme, intervention site, implementation process or participant. Comparative case studies cover two or more cases in a way that produces more generalizable knowledge about causal questions – how and why particular programmes or policies work or fail to work.

Comparative case studies are undertaken over time and emphasize comparison within and across contexts. Comparative case studies may be selected when it is not feasible to undertake an experimental design and/or when there is a need to understand and explain how features within the context influence the success of programme or policy initiatives. This information is valuable in tailoring interventions to support the achievement of intended outcomes."

• Comparative case studies: a brief description
• When is it appropriate to use this method?
• How to conduct comparative case studies
• Ethical issues and practical limitations
• Which other methods work well with this one?
• Presentation of results and analysis
• Example of good practices
• Examples of challenges

Goodrick, D., (2014), Comparative Case Studies, UNICEF. Retrieved from: http://devinfolive.info/impact_evaluation/img/downloads/Comparative_Case_Studies_ENG.pdf

What does a non-experimental evaluation look like? How can we evaluate interventions implemented across multiple contexts, where constructing a control group is not feasible?

This is part of a series

• UNICEF Impact Evaluation series
• Overview of impact evaluation
• Overview: Strategies for causal attribution
• Overview: Data collection and analysis methods in impact evaluation
• Theory of change
• Evaluative criteria
• Evaluative reasoning
• Participatory approaches
• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
• Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) video guide
• Quasi-experimental design and methods
• Developing and selecting measures of child well-being
• Interviewing
• UNICEF webinar: Overview of impact evaluation
• UNICEF webinar: Overview of data collection and analysis methods in Impact Evaluation
• UNICEF webinar: Theory of change
• UNICEF webinar: Overview: strategies for causal inference
• UNICEF webinar: Participatory approaches in impact evaluation
• UNICEF webinar: Randomized controlled trials
• UNICEF webinar: Comparative case studies
• UNICEF webinar: Quasi-experimental design and methods

'Comparative case studies ' is referenced in:

• Developing a research agenda for impact evaluation
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• Comparative Case Study
• Edited by: Albert J. Mills , Gabrielle Durepos & Elden Wiebe
• In: Encyclopedia of Case Study Research
• Chapter DOI: https:// doi. org/10.4135/9781412957397.n64
• Subject: Anthropology , Business and Management , Criminology and Criminal Justice , Communication and Media Studies , Economics , Education , Geography , Health , Marketing , Nursing , Political Science and International Relations , Psychology , Social Policy and Public Policy , Social Work , Sociology
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The comparative case study examines in rich detail the context and features of two or more instances of specific phenomena. This form of case study still strives for the “thick description” common in single case studies; however, the goal of comparative case studies is to discover contrasts, similarities, or patterns across the cases. These discoveries may in turn contribute to the development or the confirmation of theory.

Conceptual Overview and Discussion

The comparative case study can achieve any of the principal goals of the general case study approach and is not limited in terms of descriptive, exploratory, or explanatory goals. Within this broad context, the comparative aspect of the case study can have either a qualitative or quantitative focus. Comparative case studies tend toward an examination of the typical rather than the outlier or extreme case. Generally, research into the unusual, rare, or revelatory has not been appropriate for multiple-case designs, simply because selected cases must demonstrate enough commonality to allow for comparison.

Robert Yin, who has written extensively on case study research, states that comparative case studies are multiple experiments and not instances of multiple subjects across a single experiment. In case comparison, several cases serve as replication sites for extension or surfacing of theory. Cases may also be viewed as a replication of the instance or phenomenon, similar to an experiment in a quantitative undertaking. These comparisons can be structured as either between-case or within-case studies. Within-case studies, for example, might include several organizations within a specific [Page 175] industry, cohorts from a particular educational institution, or negotiations between a single country and several allies.

The comparative case approach uses an iterative analysis of each case with final comparison of emergent themes and explanations. The results of each analysis are not pooled, as the strategy is that of multiple experiments, not multiple sampling. Comparison of cases is post hoc in nature, and may be independent of the level of analysis of the case. A longitudinal design is also possible, with one or more instances or sites serving as separate case studies over time. One variation of this is a pilot study, which Robert Yin has used to define an analytical framework and to refine instruments and research tactics.

The case survey is a variant of the comparative case study that views cases chosen for research as a series of data points from which comparison and analysis will be possible. The case survey produces a sample size of hundreds of cases, from which researchers draw out of the detail of their analysis the critical components or factors that are interesting enough to warrant the study. To find comparable sites for this type of research is challenging in any context, and the depth of detail generated through the case survey produces two complicating effects in this form of the case study: increased effort (translating into costs) and the risk of noncomparability due to variations in significant contextual factors. The case survey represents the worst of a quantitative–qualitative mixed approach, particularly when the factor of interest is unduly simplified in order to make volumes of data more manageable.

Application

The flexibility inherent in between-sites or within-site designs, and longitudinal or cross-dimension designs that presents multiple occurrences is offset by the nearly impossible challenge of finding perfectly matched cases. The use of multiple instances within one organization greatly reduces the confounding effects of different organization cultures and contexts. Cynthia Hardy, Nelson Phillips, and Thomas Lawrence's study of Mère et Enfant in Palestine (a small, nongovernmental organization [NGO] that provides nutritional services to women and children in Palestine) is an example of a single organization with several, varying collaborative partnerships. The examination of each case highlighted particular theoretical categories (e.g., strategic, knowledge creation, and influence effects) that were then drawn together through comparison to define a framework and then extend a tri-partite theory of interorganization collaboration.

Special characteristics of a specific case are sometimes obvious only in comparison with others, particularly when cases derive from different contexts. Selection of cases based on population characteristics, dependant or independent variables, and measurement levels is an effective point of departure, depending on whether the researcher is pursuing a most-similar or least-similar design. Notwithstanding the qualitative nature of comparative case studies, history, maturation, and instrumentation effects are all dangers in the case study comparison, particularly in time-lagged, cross-case comparisons. Strategies to overcome these include selecting cases from the same organization, same year, same study, or same context.

Comparative case studies are particularly useful for studying organizational change over time. The longitudinal study by Aimin Yan and Barbara Gray that investigates bargaining power in joint ventures illustrates a number of key aspects of this research strategy discussed above. The authors use various forms of data collection, including interviews and archival data, as well as analytic induction in the analysis of each joint venture case sequentially, making incremental comparisons as coding categories appeared in their data. The study limits cases to manufacturing ventures that are widely representative for the sector and that are comparable in terms of duration and access to informants.

Critical Summary

Comparative case studies extend the value of the case study approach through iterative model-building and comparison. The case's rich description on a limited number of variables enables a depth of analysis by providing an opportunity to determine patterns in the data that add or extend the theory application, or enrich and refine the theoretical framework. The challenge is to return to the comparative level for final conclusions and to ensure that the framework for comparison is theoretically sound.

• Before-and-After Case Study Design
• Bounding the Case
• Case Selection
• Case-to-Case Synthesis
• Case Within a Case

Further Readings

• Community of Practice
• Comparing the Case Study With Other Methodologies
• Case Study Research in Anthropology
• Case Study Research in Business and Management
• Case Study Research in Business Ethics
• Case Study Research in Education
• Case Study Research in Feminism
• Case Study Research in Medicine
• Case Study Research in Political Science
• Case Study Research in Psychology
• Case Study Research in Public Policy
• Case Study Research in Tourism
• Case Study With the Elderly
• Ecological Perspectives
• Healthcare Practice Guidelines
• Pedagogy and Case Study
• Blended Research Design
• Critical Incident Case Study
• Cross-Sectional Design
• Decision Making Under Uncertainty
• Deductive-Nomological Model of Explanation
• Deviant Case Analysis
• Discursive Frame
• Dissertation Proposal
• Event-Driven Research
• Exemplary Case Design
• Extended Case Method
• Extreme Cases
• Holistic Designs
• Integrating Independent Case Studies
• Longitudinal Research
• Mental Framework
• Mixed Methods in Case Study Research
• Most Different Systems Design
• Multimedia Case Studies
• Multiple-Case Designs
• Multi-Site Case Study
• Naturalistic Inquiry
• Natural Science Model
• Number of Cases
• Outcome-Driven Research
• Paradigmatic Cases
• Paradigm Plurality in Case Study Research
• Participatory Action Research
• Participatory Case Study
• Polar Types
• Problem Formulation
• Quantitative Single-Case Research Design
• Quasi-Experimental Design
• Quick Start to Case Study Research
• Random Assignment
• Research Framework
• Research Objectives
• Research Proposals
• Research Questions, Types of Retrospective Case Study
• Rhetoric in Research Reporting
• Socially Distributed Knowledge
• Spiral Case Study
• Statistics, Use of in Case Study
• Storyselling
• Temporal Bracketing
• Thematic Analysis
• Theory, Role of
• Theory-Testing With Cases
• Utilization
• Authenticity and Bad Faith
• Author Intentionality
• Case Study and Theoretical Science
• Contentious Issues in Case Study Research
• Cultural Sensitivity and Case Study
• Masculinity and Femininity
• Objectivism
• Pluralism and Case Study
• Power/Knowledge
• Researcher as Research Tool
• Utilitarianism
• Bayesian Inference and Boolean Logic
• Causal Case Study: Explanatory Theories
• Chronological Order
• Coding: Axial Coding
• Coding: Open Coding
• Coding: Selective Coding
• Cognitive Biases
• Cognitive Mapping
• Communicative Framing Analysis
• Computer-Based Analysis of Qualitative Data: ATLAS.ti
• Computer-Based Analysis of Qualitative Data: CAITA (Computer-Assisted Interpretive Textual Analysis)
• Computer-Based Analysis of Qualitative Data: Kwalitan
• Computer-Based Analysis of Qualitative Data: MAXQDA 2007
• Computer-Based Analysis of Qualitative Data: NVIVO
• Concept Mapping
• Congruence Analysis
• Constant Causal Effects Assumption
• Content Analysis
• Conversation Analysis
• Cross-Case Synthesis and Analysis
• Document Analysis
• Factor Analysis
• Fiction Analysis
• High-Quality Analysis
• Inductivism
• Interactive Methodology, Feminist
• Interpreting Results
• Iterative Nodes
• Knowledge Production
• Method of Agreement
• Method of Difference
• Multicollinearity
• Multidimensional Scaling
• Over-Rapport
• Pattern Matching
• Re-Analysis of Previous Data
• Regulating Group Mind
• Relational Analysis
• Replication
• Re-Use of Qualitative Data
• Rival Explanations
• Secondary Data as Primary
• Serendipity Pattern
• Situational Analysis
• Standpoint Analysis
• Statistical Analysis
• Textual Analysis
• Use of Digital Data
• Webs of Significance
• Within-Case Analysis
• Action-Based Data Collection
• Analysis of Visual Data
• Anonymity and Confidentiality
• Anonymizing Data for Secondary Use
• Archival Records as Evidence
• Audiovisual Recording
• Autobiography
• Case Study Database
• Case Study Protocol
• Case Study Surveys
• Consent, Obtaining Participant
• Contextualization
• Critical Pedagogy and Digital Technology
• Data Resources
• Depth of Data
• Diaries and Journals
• Direct Observation as Evidence
• Discourse Analysis
• Documentation as Evidence
• Ethnostatistics
• Field Notes
• Going Native
• Informant Bias
• Institutional Ethnography
• Language and Cultural Barriers
• Multiple Sources of Evidence
• Narrative Analysis
• Naturalistic Context
• Nonparticipant Observation
• Objectivity
• Participant Observation
• Personality Tests
• Questionnaires
• Reflexivity
• Reliability
• Repeated Observations
• Researcher-Participant Relationship
• Sensitizing Concepts
• Subjectivism
• Subject Rights
• Theoretical Saturation
• Triangulation
• Visual Research Methods
• Activity Theory
• Actor-Network Theory
• ANTi-History
• Autoethnography
• Base and Superstructure
• Case Study as a Methodological Approach
• Class Analysis
• Codifying Social Practices
• Communicative Action
• Consciousness Raising
• Contradiction
• Critical Discourse Analysis
• Critical Sensemaking
• Decentering Texts
• Deconstruction
• Dialogic Inquiry
• Discourse Ethics
• Double Hermeneutic
• Ethnographic Memoir
• Ethnography
• Ethnomethodology
• Eurocentrism
• Formative Context
• Frame Analysis
• Front Stage and Back Stage
• Governmentality
• Grounded Theory
• Hermeneutics
• Imperialism
• Institutional Theory, Old and New
• Intertextuality
• Isomorphism
• Langue and Parôle
• Layered Nature of Texts
• Life History
• Logocentrism
• Management of Impressions
• Means of Production
• Modes of Production
• Multimethod Research Program
• Multiple Selfing
• Native Points of View
• Negotiated Order
• Network Analysis
• One-Dimensional Culture
• Ordinary Troubles
• Organizational Culture
• Performativity
• Phenomenology
• Practice-Oriented Research
• Primitivism
• Qualitative Analysis in Case Study
• Qualitative Comparative Analysis
• Self-Confrontation Method
• Self-Presentation
• Sensemaking
• Signifier and Signified
• Sign System
• Social-Interaction Theory
• Storytelling
• Structuration
• Symbolic Value
• Symbolic Violence
• Thick Description
• Writing and Difference
• Chicago School
• Colonialism
• Constructivism
• Critical Realism
• Critical Theory
• Dialectical Materialism
• Epistemology
• Existentialism
• Historical Materialism
• Interpretivism
• Liberal Feminism
• Managerialism
• North American Case Research Association
• Philosophy of Science
• Postcolonialism
• Postmodernism
• Postpositivism
• Poststructuralism
• Poststructuralist Feminism
• Radical Empiricism
• Radical Feminism
• Scientific Method
• Scientific Realism
• Socialist Feminism
• Symbolic Interactionism
• Analytic Generalization
• Authenticity
• Concatenated Theory
• Conceptual Argument
• Conceptual Model: Causal Model
• Conceptual Model: Operationalization
• Conceptual Model in a Qualitative Research Project
• Conceptual Model in a Quantitative Research Project
• Contribution, Theoretical
• Credibility
• Docile Bodies
• Equifinality
• Explanation Building
• Extension of Theory
• Falsification
• Functionalism
• Generalizability
• Genericization
• Indeterminacy
• Indexicality
• Instrumental Case Study
• Macrolevel Social Mechanisms
• Middle-Range Theory
• Naturalistic Generalization
• Overdetermination
• Plausibility
• Probabilistic Explanation
• Process Tracing
• Program Evaluation and Case Study
• Reporting Case Study Research
• Statistical Generalization
• Substantive Theory
• Theory-Building With Cases
• Underdetermination
• Case Study as a Teaching Tool
• Case Study in Creativity Research
• Collective Case Study
• Configurative-Ideographic Case Study
• Diagnostic Case Study Research
• Explanatory Case Study
• Exploratory Case Study
• Intercultural Performance
• Intrinsic Case Study
• Limited-Depth Case Study
• Pracademics
• Processual Case Research
• Program-Logic Model
• Prospective Case Study
• Real-Time Cases
• Retrospective Case Study
• Single-Case Designs

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Comparative Case Studies: An Innovative Approach

What is a case study and what is it good for? In this article, we argue for a new approach—the comparative case study approach—that attends simultaneously to macro, meso, and micro dimensions of case-based research. The approach engages two logics of comparison: first, the more common compare and contrast; and second, a 'tracing across' sites or scales. As we explicate our approach, we also contrast it to traditional case study research. We contend that new approaches are necessitated by conceptual shifts in the social sciences, specifically in relation to culture, context, space, place, and comparison itself. We propose that comparative case studies should attend to three axes: horizontal, vertical, and transversal comparison. We conclude by arguing that this revision has the potential to strengthen and enhance case study research in Comparative and International Education, clarifying the unique contributions of qualitative research.

Related papers

Comparative case studies are an effective qualitative tool for researching the impact of policy and practice in various fields of social research, including education. Developed in response to the inadequacy of traditional case study approaches, comparative case studies are highly effective because of their ability to synthesize information across time and space. In Rethinking Case Study Research: A Comparative Approach, the authors describe, explain, and illustrate the horizontal, vertical, and transversal axes of comparative case studies in order to help readers develop their own comparative case study research designs. In six concise chapters, two experts employ geographically distinct case studies-from Tanzania to Guatemala to the U.S.-to show how this innovative approach applies to the operation of policy and practice across multiple social fields. With examples and activities from anthropology, development studies, and policy studies, this volume is written for researchers, especially graduate students, in the fields of education and the interpretive social sciences.

Educação & Realidade

Comparative Case Studies. What is a case study and what is it good for? In this article, we review dominant approaches to case study research and point out their limitations. Next, we propose a new approach-the comparative case study approach-that attends simultaneously to global, national, and local dimensions of case-based research. We contend that new approaches are necessitated by conceptual shifts in the social sciences, specifically in relation to culture, context, space, place, and comparison itself.

Higher Education Quarterly, 2020

Abstract Finding the balance between adequately describing the uniqueness of the context of studied phenomena and maintaining sufficient common ground for comparability and analytical generalization has widely been recognized as a key challenge in international comparative research. Methodological reflections on how to adequately cover context and comparability have extensively been discussed for quantitative survey or secondary data research. In addition, most recently, promising methodological considerations for qualitative comparative research have been suggested in comparative fields related to higher education. The article's aim is to connect this discussion to comparative higher education research. Thus, the article discusses recent advancements in the methodology of qualitative international comparative research, connects them to older analytical methods that have been used within the field in the 1960s and 1970s, and demonstrates their analytical value based on their application to a qualitative small-N case study on research groups in diverse organizational contexts in three country contexts.

This is the inaugural volume in the PSCIE (Pittsburgh Studies in Comparative and International Education) Series which expands on the life work of University of Pittsburgh professor Rolland G. Paulston (1929-2006). Recognized as a stalwart in the field of comparative and international education, Paulston's most widely recognized contribution is social cartography. He demonstrated that mapping comparative, international, and development education is no easy task and, depending on the perspective of the mapper, there may be multiple cartographies to chart. This collection of nineteen essays and research studies is a festschrift celebrating and developing Robert Paulston's scholarship in comparative, international, and development education (CIDE). Considering key international education issues, national education systems, and social and educational theories, essays in this volume explore and go beyond Paulston's seminal works in social cartography. Organized into three sec...

Qualitative researchers utilize comparative and case-based methods to develop theory through elaboration or abduction. They pursue research in intermediate fields where some but not all relevant constructs are known (Edmonson & McManus, 2007). When cases and comparisons move beyond a few, it threatens researchers with information overload. Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a novel method of analysis that is appropriate for larger case or comparative studies and provides a flexible tool for theory elaboration and abduction. Building on recently published exemplars from organizational research, we illuminate three key benefits of QCA: (1) allows researchers to examine cases as wholes, effectively addressing the complexity of action embedded in organizational phenomena; (2) provides indicators of whether results are reliable and valid so qualitative researchers, and others, can assess their findings within a study and across studies; and (3) explores potentially overlooked connections between qualitative and quantitative research.

This course focuses on how to design and conduct small-n case study and comparative research. Thinking outside of students' areas of interest and specialisms and topics, students will be encouraged to develop the concepts and comparative frameworks that underpin these phenomena. In other words, students will begin to develop their research topics as cases of something. The course covers questions of design and methods of case study research, from single-n to small-n case studies including discussions of process tracing and Mill's methods. The course addresses both the theoretical and methodological discussions that underpin research design as well as the practical questions of how to conduct case study research, including gathering, assessing and using evidence. Examples from the fields of comparative politics, IR, development studies, sociology and European studies will be used throughout the lectures and seminars.

Qualitative researchers utilize comparative and case-based methods to develop theory through elaboration or abduction. They pursue research in intermediate fields where some but not all relevant constructs are known (Edmonson & McManus, 2007). When cases and comparisons move beyond a few, it threatens researchers with information overload. Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a novel method of analysis that is appropriate for larger case and comparative studies and provides a flexible tool for theory elaboration and abduction. Building on recently published exemplars from organizational research, we illuminate three key benefits of QCA: (1) allows researchers to examine cases as wholes, effectively addressing the complexity of action embedded in organizational phenomena; (2) provides indicators of whether results are reliable and valid so qualitative researchers, and others, can assess their findings within a study and across studies; and (3) explores potentially overlooked connections between qualitative and quantitative research.

International Review of Social History, 1998

Social scientists often face a fundamental dilemma when they conduct social research. On the one hand, they may emphasize the complexity of social phenomena – a common strategy in ethnographic, historical and macro social research – and offer in–depth case studies sensitive to the specificity of the things they study. On the other hand, they may make broad, homo genizing assumptions about cases, and document generalities – patterns hold across many instances. Research strategies that focus on complexity are often labeled “qualitative”, “case–oriented”, “small–N”, or “intensive”. Those that focus on generality are often labeled “quantitative”, “variable–oriented”, “large–N”, or “extensive”. While the contrasts between these two types social research are substantial, it is easy to exaggerate their differences and t o caricature the two approaches, for example, portraying quantitative work on general patterns as scientific but sterile and oppressive, and qualitative research on small N...

The reader skeptical of Lucretius’ consistency will likely find fault with two parallel features of the poet’s tour de force: on the one hand, a zeal for Epicurean physics, which David West characterizes as a “burning conviction of the rightness and importance of his own case and his contempt for the folly of his opponents”; and on the other, an apparently un-Epicurean attention paid to certain gods and goddesses, which manifests itself most clearly in the work’s purple passages. The notoriously enigmatic invocation of Venus in the first proem (I.1-49) and the Magna Mater passage (II.589-660) deserve particular attention and explanation. Indeed, they are two of the most troublesome, not least because of the former’s purported reliance on divine inspiration and the latter’s apparent approval of religious oppression. Moreover, the desire to make sense of these two passages grows even greater when the reader notices (among other things) their shared use of the loaded title genetrix—applied only twice in De Rerum Natura (DRN) as an epithet—for Venus and Cybele, respectively, as well as the phrase in luminis oras/in oras luminis. By reflecting upon these difficulties, however, the reader can make sense of all the above questions and discover that Lucretius constructs much more behind Venus and Cybele than is initially evident. In fact, Lucretius connects Venus and Cybele in I.1-49 and II.589-660, respectively, on both a textual and conceptual level. In order to explain this relationship, one must first elicit a complex allegory throughout the Magna Mater passage in Book II that likens the Anatolian goddess and her followers to the warlike Roma and her soldiers, thus illustrating a violent picture of Roman conscription and conquest. Because of the fundamental discord of this religious militarism with Epicureanism, Roma (in the guise of Cybele) stands clearly as the greatest enemy of the philosophy. Hence, the reader will discover that the relationship between Venus and Cybele/Roma is antithetical, with the former embodying the guiding force of nature, Epicurean voluptas, and the latter undermining it—a relationship which Catullus also draws upon in his contemporaneous sixty-third poem. The meaning behind Venus, Cybele, and the implicit Roma in DRN will at last be evident: Lucretius is subversively critiquing the collocation of religious and militaristic power in Rome by constructing a cryptic allegory of the Magna Mater as the war goddess Roma, and in so doing, suggests that the combination intrinsically undermines Epicurean voluptas and ataraxia.

Nuevas lecturas de 'La Florida del Inca', eds. C. de Mora y A. Garrido Aranda, Madrid-Frankfurt, Iberoamericana-Vervuert, pp. 143-175, 2008

S a m w a a d, 2012

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