title: Developing comparative criminology and the case of China: an introduction.
abstract: Although comparative criminology has made significant development during the past decade or so, systematic empirical research has only developed along a few topics. Comparative criminology has never occupied a central position in criminology. This article analyzes the major theoretical and methodological impediments in the development of comparative criminology. It stresses a need to shift methodology from a conventional primary approach that uses the nation as the unit of analysis to an in-depth case study method as a primary methodological approach. The article maintains that case study method can overcome the limitation of its descriptive tradition and become a promising methodological approach for comparative criminology.
authors.affiliation: Rhode Island College, USA.
authors.forename: Jianhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003415:Crime / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003418:Criminology / Q000379:methods*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D014481:United States