Comparative Analysis Using Large Scale National Data Sources of Women's Employment

This paper discusses the comparative research process and describes issues which have been faced and lessons learnt in the process of carrying out a number of cross-national comparisons of women's employment careers. Data from a seven country comparison carried out by the ESF Scientific Network on Household Panels' Female Labour Force Participation Working Group are represented, plus the author's experience of conducting four other two-country comparisons. A number of theoretical and methodological issues are discussed, some of which are general and relate to any comparative project. Differing theoretical approaches are discussed, in particular the French Aix school from Maurice and rational choice theory.