Explorations in Comparative History

This volume charts ways that may allow a larger number of historians to experiment with the comparative method. It contains articles that deal with the history and problems of comparative history as well as studies that demonstrate the potential of symmetrical, asymmetrical, parallel and cross comparisons. The studies include comparisons of the Roman and Inca empires, of Muslim networks of renewal of the eighteenth century, of serfdom in Russia and slavery in the American South, of early modern European expansion and present-day globalisation, of modem welfare states, and of multiple modernities. Comparative studies of feudalism exemplify some of the method's pitfalls. The volume concludes with a report by three faculty members on the problems encountered while teaching a course in comparative history.