Theoretical and Methodological Issues of Cross-National Comparative Research

Transcription

1 Seminar 2nd term Theoretical and Methodological Issues of Cross-National Comparative Research Organised by Hans-Peter Blossfeld Tuesdays 11:00-13:00, Seminar Room 2, Badia Fiesolana Please register with Description This seminar is offered to researchers interested in quantitative cross-national comparative inequality research. Cross-national studies can greatly extend the scope of sociological knowledge by answering the question of whether a specific mechanism of social inequality established in one country also applies outside the particular context of this country. They also tend to deepen our understanding of cross-national differences when we give a convincing explanation of the impact of institutional and socio-structural conditions on social inequalities in various nations. The seminar gives an overview of the history of theoretical approaches studying cross-national similarities and differences as well as methodological developments affecting the practice of cross-national research. Using several (classical) application examples advantages and limitations of crossnational comparative inequality studies will be discussed in detail. Researchers are expected to come to class fully prepared and to have thoroughly completed the assigned readings before each meeting. Participants must present and discuss the key readings from one or two meetings. For this purpose they have to send a PowerPoint presentation to the course website the night before class. These presentations will then be discussed in class together with the readings themselves. Researchers also have the possibility to present their own cross-national research designs and findings. Researchers can write a term paper for this class as part of their general term paper requirements. They need to make significant use of the readings and topics on the syllabus and make contributions to discussions on the theoretical and methodological issues of cross-national comparative research in inequality research. Those who wish to write a term paper should consult with me and submit both a paper copy and an copy to me (Please cc also Monika.Rzemieniecka@eui.eu). The deadline for the submission of the second term papers is 31 May

2 Tuesday January 8th, 2013 Introduction and Overview M. L: Kohn (1987): Cross-national research as an analytic strategy, in American Sociological Review, 52: S. Nowak (1989): Comparative studies and social theory, in M. Kohn (ed.): Cross-national research in sociology, Newbury Park: Sage, Tuesday January 15th, 2013 Methods of International Comparisons T. Janoski and A. M. Hicks (1994): Methodological innovations in comparative political economy: An introduction, in: T. Janoski and A. M. Hicks (eds.): The comparative political economy of the welfare state, Cambridge: Cambridge Univestiy Press, pp C. Ragin (1989): New directions in comparative research, in M. Kohn (ed.): Cross-national research in sociology, Newbury Park: Sage, S. Lieberson (1991): Small n s and big conclusions: An examination of the reasoning in comparative studies based on a small number of cases, Social Forces, 70: Tuesday January 22nd, 2013 Equivalence of Measures in Comparative Research H. B. G. Ganzeboom and D. J. Treiman (2003): Three internationally standardized measures for comparative research on occupational status, in: J. H. P. Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik and C. Wolf (eds.): Advances in cross-national comparison: A European working book for demographic and socio-economic variables, New York et al.: Kluver, pp H. Brauns, S. Scherer and S. Steinmann (2003): The CASMIN educational classification in international comparative research, in: J. H. P. Hoffmeyer- Zlotnik and C. Wolf (eds.): Advances in cross-national comparison: A European working book for demographic and socio-economic variables, New York et al.: Kluver, pp W. Bien and H. Quellenberg (2003): How to measure household and family, in: J. H. P. Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik and C. Wolf (eds.): Advances in cross-national comparison: A European working book for demographic and socio-economic variables, New York et al.: Kluver, pp U. Warner and J. H. P. Hoffmeier-Zlotnik (2003): How to measure income, in: J. H. P. Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik and C. Wolf (eds.): Advances in cross-national comparison: A European working book for demographic and socio-economic variables, New York et al.: Kluver, pp J. H. P.Hoffmeier-Zlotnik (2003): Comparing demographic and socio-economic variables across nations, in: J. H. P. Hoffmeyer-Zlotnik and C. Wolf (eds.): 2

3 Advances in cross-national comparison: A European working book for demographic and socio-economic variables, New York et al.: Kluver, pp Tuesday January 29th, 2013 Classical Studies I: Social Stratification and Mobility mobility in industrial societies, Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp (Introduction: Industrial society and social mobility). mobility in industrial societies, Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp (Concepts, data, and strategies of enquiry) mobility in industrial societies, Oxford: Clarendon Press, pp (Conclusions and prospects) Tuesday February 5th, 2013 Classical Studies II: Educational Systems and Social Inequality H.-P. Blossfeld and Y. Shavit (1993): Persisting barriers: Changes in educational opportunities in thirteen countries, in: Y. Shavit and H.-P. Blossfeld (eds.): Persisting inequality: Changing educational attainment in thirteen countries, Boulder: Westview Press, pp D. J. Treiman and K.-B. Yip (1989): Educational and occupational attainment in 21 countries, in: M. Kohn (ed.): Cross-national research in sociology, Newbury Park: Sage, R. Breen, R. Luijkx, W. Müller and R. Pollak (2009): Nonpersistent inequality in educational attainment: evidence from eight European countries, American Journal of Sociology, 114: Tuesday February 12th, 2013 Classical Studies III: Welfare State Regimes Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp (Comparative welfare regimes reexamined). Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp (The structural bases of postindustrial employment). Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp (New social risks in old welfare states). Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp (Recasting welfare regimes for a postindustrial era). 3

4 J. C. Gornick and J. A. Jacobs (1998): Gender, the welfare state, and public employment. A comparative study of seven industrialized countries, American Sociological Review, 63: Tuesday February 19th, 2013 Poverty in International Comparison G. J. Duncan, B. Gustafsson, R. Hauser, G. Schmaus, S. Jenkins, H. Messinger, R. Muffels, B. Nolan, J.-C. Ray and W. Voges (1995): Poverty and socialassistance dynamics in the United States, Canada, and Europe, in: K. McFate, R. Lawson and W.J. Wilson (eds.): Poverty, inequality, and the future of social policy, New York: Russell Sage Foundation, pp B. Bradbury and M. Jäntti (1999): Child poverty across industrialized nations. Innocenti Occasional Papers, Economic and Social Policy Series, no. 71, Florence: UNICEF International Child Development Centre (also available as: Luxembourg Income Study Working Paper No. 205) G. Burtless (2007). What have we learned about poverty and inequality? Evidence from cross-national analysis, Focus, 25: Tuesday February 26th, 2013 Assortative Mating, Careers of Couples and Social Inequality in Comparative Perspective H.-P. Blossfeld and A. Timm (2003): Eduational systems as marriage markets in modern societies. A conceptual framework, in: H.-P. Blossfeld und A. Timm (eds.): Who marries whom? Educational systems as marriage markets in modern societies. A comparison of thirteen countries, European Studies of Population, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp H.-P. Blossfeld and A. Timm (2003): Assortative mating in cross-national comparison: A summary of results and conclusions, in: H.-P. Blossfeld und A. Timm (eds.): Who marries whom? Educational systems as marriage markets in modern societies. A comparison of thirteen countries, European Studies of Population, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp H.-P. Blossfeld and S. Drobnič (2001): A cross-national comparative approach to couples careers, in: H.-P. Blossfeld and S. Drobnič (eds.): Careers of couples in breadwinner to dual-earner families, Oxford: University Press, pp H.-P. Blossfeld and S. Drobnič (2001): Theoretical perspectives on couples careers, in: H.-P. Blossfeld and S. Drobnič (eds.): Careers of couples in breadwinner to dual-earner families, Oxford: University Press, pp H.-P. Blossfeld and S. Drobnič (2001): Careers of couples and trends in inequality, in: H.-P. Blossfeld and S. Drobnič (eds.): Careers of couples in breadwinner to dual-earner families, Oxford: University Press, pp

5 Tuesday March 5th, 2013 Globalization and Social Inequality in Cross-national Comparison M. Mills and H.-P. Blossfeld (2005): Globalization, uncertainty and the early life course. A theoretical framework, in: H.-P. Blossfeld, E. Klijzing, M.Mills and K. Kurz (eds.): Globalization, uncertainty and youth in society, London et al.: Routledge, 2005, pp M. Mills, H.-P. Blossfeld and E. Klijzing (2005): Becoming an adult in uncertain times: a 14-country comparison of the losers of globalization, in: H.-P. Blossfeld, E. Klijzing, M.Mills and K. Kurz (eds.): Globalization, uncertainty and youth in society, London et al.: Routledge, 2005, pp M. Mills, H.-P. Blossfeld and F. Bernardi (2006): Globalization, uncertainty and men s employment careers: a theoretical framework, in: H.-P. Blossfeld, M. Mills and F. Bernardi (eds.): Globalization, uncertainty and men s careers, Cheltenham (UK) and Northampton (MA, USA): Edward Elgar, pp M. Mill and H.-P. Blossfeld (2006): Globalization, patchwork careers and the individualization of inequality? A 12-country comparison of men s mid-career job mobility, in: H.-P. Blossfeld, M. Mills and F. Bernardi (eds.): Globalization, uncertainty and men s careers, Cheltenham (UK) and Northampton (MA, USA): Edward Elgar, pp Tuesday March 12th, 2013 Cross-national Comparison, Life Course Research, and Path-Dependence J. Mahoney (2000): Path dependence in historical sociology, Theory and Society, 29: K. U. Mayer (2001): The paradox of global social change and national path dependencies, in: A. Woodward and M. Kohli (eds.): Inclusions and exclusions in European societies, pp M. Raab, M. Ruland, B. Schönberger, H.-P.- Blossfeld, D. Hofäcker, S. Buchholz, and P. Schmelzer (2008): GlobalIndex. A sociological approach to globalization measurement. International Sociology 23: M. Mills, H.-P. Blossfeld, S. Buchholz, D. Hofäcker,F. Bernardi and H. Hofmeister (2008): Converging divergences? An international comparison of the impact of globalization on industrial relations and employment careers (together with). International Sociology 23 (2008):