
Published online:
02 September 2009
Published in print:
02 July 2009
Online ISBN:
9780191577482
Print ISBN:
9780199566020
Contents
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1 Definitions 1 Definitions
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2 What is a Case Study Good For? Case Study versus Cross‐Case Analysis 2 What is a Case Study Good For? Case Study versus Cross‐Case Analysis
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3. Hypothesis: Generating versus Testing 3. Hypothesis: Generating versus Testing
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4. Validity: Internal versus External 4. Validity: Internal versus External
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5. Causal Insight: Causal Mechanisms versus Causal Effects 5. Causal Insight: Causal Mechanisms versus Causal Effects
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6 Scope of Proposition: Deep versus Broad 6 Scope of Proposition: Deep versus Broad
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7 The Population of Cases: Heterogeneous versus Homogeneous 7 The Population of Cases: Heterogeneous versus Homogeneous
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8 Causal Strength: Strong versus Weak 8 Causal Strength: Strong versus Weak
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9 Useful Variation: Rare versus Common 9 Useful Variation: Rare versus Common
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10 Data Availability: Concentrated versus Dispersed 10 Data Availability: Concentrated versus Dispersed
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11 Conclusions 11 Conclusions
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References References
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Chapter
4 The Case Study: What it is and What it Does
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John Gerring
John Gerring
Political Science, Boston University
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John Gerring is Professor of Political Science, Boston University.
Pages
90–122
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Published:02 September 2009
Cite
Gerring, John, ' The Case Study: What it is and What it Does', in Carles Boix, and Susan C. Stokes (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Politics (2009; online edn, Oxford Academic, 2 Sept. 2009), https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199566020.003.0004, accessed 9 May 2025.
Abstract
This article presents a reconstructed definition of the case study approach to research. This definition emphasizes comparative politics, which has been closely linked to this method since its creation. The article uses this definition as a basis to explore a series of contrasts between cross-case study and case study research. This article attempts to provide better understanding of this persisting methodological debate as a matter of tradeoffs, which may also contribute to destroying the boundaries that have separated these rival genres within the subfield of comparative politics.
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