The Education Systems of Europe – an object of Comparative Educational Research?

For a long time Wolfgang Mitter was the co-editor of the handbook Die Bildungssysteme Europas/The Education Systems of Europe. Besides his formal co-editorship Wolfgang Mitter took actively part in the discussions about the conception of the book. One of the remaining methodological issues in these discussions has been: Is it possible and does it make sense to develop comparisons stricto sensu by analysing a series of education systems (area studies) of different countries? Can it create scientifically founded knowledge, which is more than a description? The paper refers to the discussions among the editors about this topic.