Comparative Legislative Research as Gerhard Loewenberg Saw It

This article attempts to capture the fundamental conclusions of Gerhard Loewenberg’s comparative legislative research. As an early leader in the field, Loewenberg focused on comparative legislative research in his scholarship throughout this career, producing a significant body of work on the topic. This article may be viewed as a tribute but carries a great deal of relevance for legislative studies. It highlights enduring questions not only about research in the field of legislative studies as Loewenberg saw them, but also his preoccupation with unlocking the puzzles surrounding the core substantive issues of legislative concern. A careful analysis of Loewenberg’s research shows key advances as well as notable shortcomings of comparative legislative studies over the last several decades.