• Introduction; 1. Cases of 'what is a case?' Charles C. Ragin; Part I. Cases Are Found: 2. Small Ns and community case studies Douglas Harper; 3. What do cases do? Some notes on activity in sociological analysis Andrew Abbott; Part II. Cases Are Objects: 4. Small Ns and big conclusions: an examination of the reasoning in comparative studies based on a small number of cases Stanley Lieberson; 5. Theory elaboration: the heuristics of case analysis Diane Vaughan; Part III. Cases Are Made: 6. Case studies: history or sociology? Michel Wieviorka; 7. Making theoretical cases John Walton; Part IV. Cases Are Conventions: 8. Cases on cases … of cases Jennifer Platt; 9. Cases are for identity, for explanation, or for control; Conclusion; 10. Cases, causes, conjunctures, stories and imagery Howard C. White.

"There is sociology of sociology here, many recountings of field adventures, tips on data collection and analysis, and discussions of substantive topics as diverse as crime, religion, gender, family, cities, social problems, and social movements...a good read." Contemporary Sociology

• Introduction; 1. Cases of 'what is a case?' Charles C. Ragin; Part I. Cases Are Found: 2. Small Ns and community case studies Douglas Harper; 3. What do cases do? Some notes on activity in sociological analysis Andrew Abbott; Part II. Cases Are Objects: 4. Small Ns and big conclusions: an examination of the reasoning in comparative studies based on a small number of cases Stanley Lieberson; 5. Theory elaboration: the heuristics of case analysis Diane Vaughan; Part III. Cases Are Made: 6. Case studies: history or sociology? Michel Wieviorka; 7. Making theoretical cases John Walton; Part IV. Cases Are Conventions: 8. Cases on cases … of cases Jennifer Platt; 9. Cases are for identity, for explanation, or for control; Conclusion; 10. Cases, causes, conjunctures, stories and imagery Howard C. White.

"There is sociology of sociology here, many recountings of field adventures, tips on data collection and analysis, and discussions of substantive topics as diverse as crime, religion, gender, family, cities, social problems, and social movements...a good read." Contemporary Sociology

• Introduction; 1. Cases of 'what is a case?' Charles C. Ragin; Part I. Cases Are Found: 2. Small Ns and community case studies Douglas Harper; 3. What do cases do? Some notes on activity in sociological analysis Andrew Abbott; Part II. Cases Are Objects: 4. Small Ns and big conclusions: an examination of the reasoning in comparative studies based on a small number of cases Stanley Lieberson; 5. Theory elaboration: the heuristics of case analysis Diane Vaughan; Part III. Cases Are Made: 6. Case studies: history or sociology? Michel Wieviorka; 7. Making theoretical cases John Walton; Part IV. Cases Are Conventions: 8. Cases on cases … of cases Jennifer Platt; 9. Cases are for identity, for explanation, or for control; Conclusion; 10. Cases, causes, conjunctures, stories and imagery Howard C. White.

"There is sociology of sociology here, many recountings of field adventures, tips on data collection and analysis, and discussions of substantive topics as diverse as crime, religion, gender, family, cities, social problems, and social movements...a good read." Contemporary Sociology