A collection of essays exploring the gap between theory and practice in comparative legal studies.

1. Comparing law: practice and theory M. Adams and J. Bomhoff; 2. Reflections on comparative law methodology - getting inside contract law C. Valcke; 3. From comparing 'precedent' to 'reasoning with previous decisions J. Komárek; 4. Comparing legal argument: between the 'internal perspective' and the 'logic of juridical functioning' J. Bomhoff; 5. In search of system neutrality: methodological issues in the drafting of European contract law rules G. Dannemann; 6. Comparative law and global regulatory convergence: the example of competition law D. J. Gerber; 7. Reflections on comparative method in European constitutional law M. Claes and M. de Visser; 8. Rethinking methods in European private law J. M. Smits; 9. Transnational comparisons: theory and practice of comparative law as a critique of global governance P. Zumbansen; 10. Comparative constitutional compliance: notes towards a research agenda F. Schauer; 11. Quantitative methods for comparative constitutional law A. Meuwese and M. Versteeg; 12. Comparisons in private patrimonial law: towards a bottom-up approach using (cross-cultural) behavioural economics J. De Coninck; 13. Against 'comparative method': explaining similarities and differences M. Adams and J. Griffiths; 14. Comparative law as an act of modesty: a pragmatic and realistic approach to comparative legal scholarship K. Lemmens.