Research on the economy, politics, and society often examines countries, comparing across them and/or over time within them.

Analysts doing this type of empirical work utilize a variety of methodological strategies. Among them are pooled cross-section time-series regression, qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), and small-N analysis. Contributions to a new book I’ve co-edited explore the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches by using each of the three to analyze employment performance in affluent nations.

The book is Method and Substance in Macrocomparative Analysis, edited by Lane Kenworthy and Alexander Hicks, Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. The introductory chapter is online here.

Contents:

1. Introduction, by Lane Kenworthy and Alexander Hicks
2. Statistical Narratives and the Properties of Macro-Level Variables: Labor Market Institutions and Employment Performance in Macrocomparative Research, by Bernhard Kittel
3. Comparative Employment Performance: A Fuzzy-Set Analysis, by Jessica Epstein, Daniel Duerr, Lane Kenworthy, and Charles Ragin
4. Do Family Policies Shape Women’s Employment? A Comparative Historical Analysis of France and the Netherlands, by Joya Misra and Lucian Jude
5. The Welfare State, Family Policies, and Women’s Labor Force Participation: Combining Fuzzy-Set and Statistical Methods to Assess Causal Relations and Estimate Causal Effects, by Scott R. Eliason, Robin Stryker, and Eric Tranby
6. Family Policies and Women’s Employment: A Regression Analysis, by Alexander Hicks and Lane Kenworthy
7. Part-Time Work and the Legacy of Breadwinner Welfare States: A Panel Study of Women’s Employment Patterns in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, 1992-2002, by Jelle Visser and Mara Yerkes
8. Comparative Regime Analysis: Early Exit from Work in Europe, Japan, and the USA, by Bernhard Ebbinghaus
9. Identifying the Causal Effect of Political Regimes on Employment, by Adam Przeworski