Comparing and Miscomparing

Giovanni Sartori

Journal of Theoretical Politics, 1991, vol. 3, issue 3, 243-257

Abstract: I seek to explain the disappointing performance of the field of comparative politics addressing the three basic questions: Why compare? What is comparable? and How? I also challenge the view that the methodology of comparison is pretty well known and established. Hosts of unsettled issues remain, while a growing cause of frustration and failure is the undetected proliferation of `cat-dogs' (or worse), that is, nonexistent aggregates which are bound to defy, on account of their non-comparable characteristics, any and all attempts at law-like generalizations. The bottom line is that the comparative endeavor suffers from loss of purpose.

Keywords: comparative method; conceptual stretching; degreeism; logic of comparison; misclassification; parochialism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1991
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:jothpo:v:3:y:1991:i:3:p:243-257

DOI: 10.1177/0951692891003003001

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