Has the "capacity to render the invisible visible", to draw attention to aspects of any media system, including our own, "that may be taken for granted and difficult to detect when the focus in on only one national case".

Comparative analysis.

Explanation:

The fundamental premise of the comparative analysis is that research can reveal more about the subject of the study if a set of data about first subject is compared to the same set of data about another subject.

Essentially, it works from the idea that to understand anything about something we have to compare it to anything else. For example, darkness is dark only comparing to light. Without this comparison, darkness does not have its meaning of the absence of light.

Comparative analysis as a type of analysis is widely used in social science, in particular as Qualitative comparative analysis.

the old way of life was represented by superstition, an angry god, and absolute submission to authority. the thinkers of the age of reason ushered in a new way of thinking. this new way championed the accomplishments of humankind. individuals did not have to accept despair. science and reason could bring happiness and progress. kings did not rule by divine right. they had an obligation to their subjects. europeans pondered the implications for nearly a century. americans put them into practice first.