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Based on Ph.D. research conducted in two European universities, this contribution examines the potential of a comparative historical approach for sociological analysis of urban policies. Built on comparative research of two urban renewal projects in France and Germany, this paper shows how this approach is heuristic for a cross-national political sociology. It is characterized by an inductive construction of research questions, paying particular attention to the urban contexts of the analyzed cases and taking into account processes of circulation across national boundaries. Illustrated by selected research results, this paper sketches out a reflexive approach of comparative studies, raising new issues and adjusting the selected analytical categories.