Approaches to Comparative Social Research

2025/2026

Type: Mago-Lego

Delivered by: School of Sociology

Where: Faculty of Social Sciences

When: 2, 3 module

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Aleksei Pobedonostsev, Kadir Uysal

Language: English

ECTS credits: 6

Contact hours: 40

Full Syllabus Ask Question

Abstract

The course “Approaches to Comparative Social Research” is designed to provide master’s students with a general knowledge of comparative studies in social sciences. Comparison is a universal method of almost all social sciences. In this course, students will study how comparative approaches and methods are used in various social science disciplines such as comparative sociology, comparative political economy, comparative politics, etc. Students will study how comparative methods from other social sciences can be applied to their research purposes.During the second model, the classes are taught by Aleksei Pobedonostsev. The classes of the third model are taught by Kadir Uysal.

Learning Objectives

to study seminal texts in comparative social research
to learn basic concepts of comparative social research
to learn to criticize and evaluate comparative social research
Improve verbal communication skills through interactive class discussions

Expected Learning Outcomes

be able to meaningfully construct comparative research questions
understand basic principles of comparative social research
be able to criticize comparative studies
model comparative research designs in comparative social research
familiarize with major examples of comparative social research
gain the knowledge of approaches and methods in comparative social studies
acquire skills in evaluating and criticizing comparative social research
identify strengths and weaknesses in comparative research.

Course Contents

Introduction. Comparative economics of institutions.
Comparing political systems and political regimes
The comparative-historical sociology of colonialism
Health systems in comparative perspective
Socio-cultural determinants of health
Varieties of Capitalism (VoC)
Comparative Study of Labour Markets
Comparative Corporate Governance
Comparative Study of Financialization
Comparative Welfare State and Social Policy Structures

Assessment Elements

Seminar activity
To encourage students to attend all classes, participation in seminar discussions gives 26% of the final grade. The attendance of seminar classes implies active participation in seminar discussions. Reading is crucial for having a fruitful and enjoyable discussion in class. Therefore, every student must read all mandatory reading materials assigned for seminar discussions.
Response papers
During the course, students should write and submit two response papers: response paper №1 for the second module and response paper № 2 for the third model. The first response paper should be based on any mandatory text assigned for the second model. The second response paper should be based on any mandatory text assigned for the third model. Students are free to write response papers to reading material of their choice. The response paper is expected to be a short essay based on the reading text, outlining its contents and your own ideas based on it. Each response should include a minimum of 1000 words.
Review Article
Students should write a review article on any topic of their selection from the syllabus. The article is expected to be between 4000-5000 words. It should cover all compulsory and suggested literature in the reading materials of the course for the subject, as well as additional major works in the field. In total it is expected to cover 20 major works on the topic. The article is expected to be more than just a summary of the literature. Students should approach the existing literature from a certain analytical point, describe the major debates, identify gaps and propose a viewpoint.
Group presentation
Students will form groups and make one presentation on the readings of a selected week during seminars. Each group can include 2-3 students. There will be 9 groups starting from week 2. Presentations will be of 30 minutes, and will include the main arguments of the reading materials, as well as reflections of the groups including one question for each material to discuss.

Interim Assessment

2025/2026 3rd module
0.25 * Group presentation + 0.2 * Response papers + 0.29 * Review Article + 0.26 * Seminar activity

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Blyton, P. (2001). The General and the Particular in Cross-National Comparative Research. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 50(4), 590–595. https://doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00074
Font, J., della Porta, D., & Sintomer, Y. (2012). Presentation. Methodological challenges in participation research. Revista Internacional de Sociología, (Extra_2), 9. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsdoj&AN=edsdoj.800e74344fc48fa94f8da80b7c6579b
Lieberson, S. (1991). Small N’s and Big Conclusions: An Examination of the Reasoning in Comparative Studies Based on a Small Number of Cases. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.5ACBF27C
Lijphart, A. (2011). Democratic Quality in Stable Democracies. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.A9BD1B40
Smelser, N. J. (1994). Sociological theories. International Social Science Journal, 46(139), 1. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=sih&AN=9504100912
Soskice, D. (2005). Varieties of Capitalism and Cross-National Gender Differences. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.CAFCCDD2
Wiseman, A. W., & Popov, N. (2015). Comparative Science : Interdisciplinary Approaches (Vol. First edition). Bingley, England: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=993133

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Crawford, B., & Lijphart, A. (1997). Liberalization and Leninist Legacies: Comparative Perspectives on Democratic Transitions. United States, North America: eScholarship, University of California. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.DB007F5
Hall, T. D. (2017). Comparing Globalizations : Historical and World-Systems Approaches. Cham: Springer. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1636710
Iversen, T., & Soskice, D. (2005). Electoral institutions, parties, and the politics of class: Why some democracies redistribute more than others. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.65DCFAFA
Kucera, D. (2007). Qualitative Indicators of Labour Standards : Comparative Methods and Applications. Dordrecht: Springer. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=196760
Rainer Bauböck, Donatella Della Porta, Ignacio Lago, & Camil Ungureanu. (2012). What methodological “wars” methodological pluralism? Revista Española de Ciencia Política, (29), 11. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsdoj&AN=edsdoj.2385852644e540ab804dd172189cabdd
Stroschein, S. (2004). From Contention to Coexistence in Local Politics: Mixed Cities in Central Europe. Conference Papers —— American Political Science Association, 1–34. https://doi.org/apsa_proceeding_29943.PDF

Authors

DESIATOVA MARIIA IVANOVNA
Uisal Kadir
Pobedonostsev Aleksei Vladimirovich
Frelikh KRISTIAN
MEYLAKHS PETR ALEKSANDROVICH

Course Syllabus