Translation of: Vvedenie v istoricheskui︠u︡ komparativistiku : uchebnoe posobie.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: Paradoxes of historical comparison -- Comparison in history : from antiquity to the enlightenment -- Historicism and the comparative method (nineteenth century to early twentieth century) -- The lessons of Max Weber and Marc Bloch -- The rise of historical comparison in the later twentieth century -- New challenges : cultural transfers, histoire croiseé, transnational history and criticism of traditional comparison -- Comparative historical sociology -- Does method exist? -- The functions of comparison and its specifics in historical research -- Selection of objects for comparison and types of historical comparison -- Recommendations for newcomers to historical comparison -- Comparison in economic history -- Comparison in political history -- Comparison in social history -- Comparative research on nationalism, empire and colonialism.

"An Introduction to Historical Comparison is the first comprehensive study of the theory and practice of comparative-historical research. Designed as a handbook for historians, this book shows scholars how to develop the skills needed to successfully employ a comparative methodology. It begins by tracing the intellectual history of comparative history writing and then examines the practice of historical comparison. The result is a clear and engaging analysis of historical thinking and a useful guide to main methodological techniques, successes, and pitfalls of comparative research"--