On the act of comparison:an introduction

This opening chapter starts with the observation that at its core, comparison is about establishing a relationship between two or more ‘things’ to thereby bring into view differences and similarities. Such acts of comparison are essential for people to make sense of and orient themselves in the world, while at the same time they will be affected (and constrained) by the comparative work of others. The chapter argues that the cross-cultural study of comparison offers insight into several important analytical topics. It does so, first, by showing how comparison is associated with a range of epistemic techniques (e.g. generalizing, contrasting, juxtaposing, ranking, translating), which are variously employed, with greater and lesser intensity, by those who compare. It then builds on this variation to show how acts of comparison may strengthen hegemonic structures, and when they may destabilize such structures. By teasing out the kinds of relationships that are brought into being by the act of comparing, the chapter draws attention to how comparison affects the integrity of both the comparer and the compared. This goes some way to explain why comparison can be a powerful tool of governance as well as why it may be vehemently resisted by those who are compared.