COMPARATIVE RESEARCH - Brandon University

RURAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

COMPARATIVE RESEARCH

COMPARATIVE RESEARCH

Prepared by: Michael Adiyia, MRD William Ashton, PhD, Director Rural Development Institute Brandon University

Rural Development Institute, Brandon University Brandon University established the Rural Development Institute in 1989 as an academic research centre and a leading source of information on issues affecting rural communities in Western Canada and elsewhere. RDI functions as a not-for-profit research and development organization designed to promote, facilitate, coordinate, initiate and conduct multi-disciplinary academic and applied research on rural issues. The Institute provides an interface between academic research efforts and the community by acting as a conduit of rural research information and by facilitating community involvement in rural development. RDI projects are characterized by cooperative and collaborative efforts of multi-stakeholders. The Institute has diverse research affiliations, and multiple community and government linkages related to its rural development mandate. RDI disseminates information to a variety of constituents and stakeholders and makes research information and results widely available to the public either in printed form or by means of public lectures, seminars, workshops and conferences. For more information, please visit brandonu.ca/rdi.

Copyright ? June 2017

Table of Contents

Introduction

1

Types of Comparative Research

2

Institutions Doing Comparative Research and Areas of Focus

3

Comparative Papers

4

Comparative Rural Policy Papers

6

Comparative Studies Journals

7

References

8

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COMPARATIVE RESEARCH

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Introduction

According to Pickvance (2005), comparative analysis is conducted mainly to explain and gain a better understanding of the causal processes involved in the creation of an event, feature or relationship usually by bringing together variations in the explanatory variable or variables. Comparative research can be traced to a long history that has gained much attention in current research due to globalization, technological advances, etc. on cross-national platforms (Azarian, 2011). Conventionally, comparative analysis emphasized on the "explanation of differences, and the explanation of similarities" (p.2). This helps to establish relationships between two or more phenomena and provide valid reasons. Comparisons are now carried out on various levels being regional, national or wider geographical boundaries based on specific subject or area of interest. This report seeks to provide an overview of the methods of comparative research, institutions doing comparative research, comparative research papers (including those with rural focus) and journals with comparative research focus. This will serve as a fundamental resource to enlighten students and other users with interest in undertaking comparative studies. The list provided in the report is not a comprehensive one and additional views or comments are greatly welcome in building this piece. Finally, a special thanks to graduate student Michael Adiyia, Masters student in the Rural Development program at Brandon University for his efforts to conceptualize this report and complete the necessary research.

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