Comparing Canada. Methods and Perspectives on Canadian Politics

Debating how Canada compares, both regionally and in relation to other countries, is a national pastime. This book examines how political scientists apply diverse comparative strategies to advance the understanding of Canadian political life.

By applying comparative approaches to a wide range of research questions, three questions are explored: First, how do Canadians compare their country? That is, what are the diverse approaches, methods, and theories used to understand Canada from a comparative perspective? Second, why do Canadians compare – what are the objectives of comparative research that includes Canada? And third, what can we learn about Canadian politics through comparison?

Using a variety of methods, the contributors examine topics as diverse as Indigenous rights, Canadian voting behaviour, and climate policy. While the theoretical perspectives and kinds of questions asked vary greatly, as a whole they demonstrate how the “art of comparing” is an important strategy for understanding Canadian identity politics, political mobilization, political institutions, and public policy.