Comparative Historical Analysis

This course covers three broad topics

First, it conceptually differentiates two distinct notions of time used within CHA. Some CHA scholars focus more on elements of physical time (duration, tempo, timing, sequences) while others concentrate on historical time (focus on events, chronicling, periodisations, concepts, and qualitative changes over time). Our limited temporal literacy makes it difficult to think in those temporal categories. The course therefore engages in a number of exercises asking you to apply those temporal categories to a wide range of phenomena.

Second, it demonstrates the role these two notions of time played in the long tradition of CHA. It underscores how these notions of time require more complex understanding of causality, as well as causal inference strategies, than the one offered by variance-based and experimental approaches. It highlights the role of historical forms of causation, abduction, and process tracing as causal inference strategies most widely used in CHA.

Third, it discusses the methodological contributions of three variants of CHA: 

• macro-causal analysis (time-spotting and theorising)
• historical/eventful analysis (concept elucidation, periodisation, qualitative changes)
• longue durée analysis (time series, trend analysis, natural experiments).

It discusses the distinct role these variants play in the large research cycles that characterise much of the CHA scholarship.

How the course will work online

The course employs a flipped classroom pedagogy. Each of the five daily modules will involve four to five ca. 10-minute pre-recorded lectures (e.g. for a daily total of no more than 60 minutes) as well as a set of readings. The lectures and readings will provide background information for the two daily hour-long discussion-based, synchronous seminars.

The recorded lectures and seminars will be linked together by:

• brief diagnostic quizzes for each lecture so the Instructor can assess your mastery of the material
• a discussion board for you to raise questions about lectures and readings
• individual or group exercises applying the lecture and reading content to actual research problems.

These exercises will be carried out during seminar sessions, when we will also discuss the readings and the lecture material.

If you are already doing (at least) dissertation level research on macro-historical questions, you will be able to use your own projects in lieu of the in-class exercises.

No formal prerequisites. You are unlikely to have had any formal training in CHA because its methodological tools are generally used in an implicit manner.

You will benefit most from this course if you have an interest in history, social or political change, or broad curiosity around the forces transforming our societies. Or, you might be familiar with one or more of the following literatures: comparative political economy, economic sociology/history, democratisation, development of the state, regime changes, origins of the welfare state, social movement, historical sociology, post-colonialism, global migration, gender/race studies, international political economy, security studies, global history.