Introduction to Historical Comparison

Historical comparison as a method of historical analysis goes back to Herodotus in antiquity yet it was not until the 1920s through the work of historian Marc Bloch that it was recognised as a solid historical method. Even today some historians are wary of applying a comparative lens to their work. Why is this Mikhail Krom asks when historical comparison can be an incredibly insightful approach to history?<br/><br/>Designed as a helpful resource for historians <i>An</i> <i>Introduction to Historical Comparison</i> aims to teach scholars how to develop the skills needed to successfully employ a comparative methodology. It begins by tracing the intellectual history of comparative history writing and then examines the practice of historical comparison. The result is a clear and engaging analysis of historical thinking and a useful guide to main methodological techniques successes and pitfalls of comparative research. <br/><br/><i>An Introduction to Historical Comparison</i>is the first comprehensive study of the theory and practice of comparative-historical research. Combining a wide range of case-studies from the best practitioners of historical comparison with an innovative interdisciplinary perspective this book is thus a meaningful contribution to current debates on historiography. As such this resource will be of immense value to both students reading historiography and methodology and to historians looking to apply a comparative approach to their own research.