This publication originated in the European Science Foundation (ESF) exploratory workshop on ''Innovative comparative methods for policy analysis. An interdisciplinary European endeavour for methodological advances and improved policy analysis/evaluation'' held in Erfurt from 25 to 28 September 2004 (ref. EW03-217). This volume brings together a selection of contributions to this workshop, which gathered specialists from many fields and countries. The major scientific objective of this ESF exploratory workshop, which we jointly convened, was to further develop methods for systematic comparative cases analysis in a small-N research design, with a key emphasis laid on policy- oriented applications. Without the support of the ESF, and in particular of the Standing Committee for the Social Sciences (SCSS), it would not have been possible to bring together such a wide range of academics and policy analysts from around the globe to further improve the development of methodologies for comparative case study analysis.