Mixed Methods in Comparative Politics: Principles and Applications

This book exemplifies how distinct methods and epistemological persuasions in the social sciences can be meaningfully integrated and applied in a large international research project. The procedures are outlined step by step and enable readers to understand and apply these themselves. Important differences between common statistical procedures and recent developments in comparative research based on set theory and Boolean algebra for research situations with a limited number of cases (small N) become apparent. This is usually the case in Comparative Politics at the national level, for exampleA comparing developments and policies within the European Union or other world regions, but also at a sub-national or local level. Various patterns and historical 'paths' can be demonstrated in this way. The substantive example chosen, the political consequences of the Great Depression in Europe in the 1930s, has important repercussions for the current world economic and financial crisis as well.

Contents:
Introduction

The State of the Art of Existing Research
A Case Study: Belgium
Testing Major Hypotheses
Comparative Research Designs
Model Specification and Operationalization
Establishing Similarities and Dissimilarities of Political Systems
Systematic Matching and Contrasting of Cases
Reduction of Complexity
Cross-Sectional Analysis
Longitudinal Analysis
Conclusions and Perspectives

Bibliography
Appendix: List and Sources of Variables

DIRK BERG-SCHLOSSER is Professor of Political Science at the Institute of Political Science, Philipps University, Germany. He was Chair of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) 2003-2006 and Vice-President of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) 2006-2009. His previous publications include The Conditions of Democracy in Europe 1919-39: Systematic Case Studies and
Authoritarianism and Democracy in Europe, 1919-39: Comparative Analyses.