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This study looks at how the methodology of comparative education research has contributed, or not contributed, to understanding the role of minority languages in European education systems. An introductory chapter of the report is devoted to explanation of the work of Mercator-Education, a European center concerned with languages not commonly taught. The second chapter discusses comparative methodology in studying social phenomena in general and more specifically, in education. Chapter three chronicles the historical development of comparative education from the late eighteenth century to the present day. The fourth chapter looks more closely at the evolving methodology of comparative education, including the contributions of the dominant positivist paradigm, cultural relativism and phenomenology, the problem-solving approach, and the case study approach. Chapter 5 discusses the explanatory analyses given by education researchers and sociologists concerning the educational position of minority languages