Inside qualitative, cross‐national research: making methods transparent in a EU housing study

Abstract

Over the last decade there has been a significant growth in comparative, cross‐national research and recognition of its potential significance in responding to globalisation pressures. A range of methodological approaches have been documented. However, whilst a growing literature exists on undertaking comparative research generally, less has been published on the experiences of undertaking qualitative research in a cross‐national context, particularly in social and housing policy. Qualitative research provides opportunities to gain more detailed understandings of behaviour, attitudes and experiences across countries, but it also raises some of the greatest challenges with respect to interpreting data. This article utilises an eight nation study on housing security and insecurity to make transparent some of the key issues raised in qualitative, cross‐national work, including the selection of locations and interviewees, interviewing and analysing material within an institutional context. It argues that further critical sharing of research accounts is required in this important area.

Keywords:

• qualitative methods
• comparative
• cross‐national
• housing
• Europe

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank sincerely the other OSIS qualitative teams: Pascal de Decker, Research Group on Poverty, Social Exclusion and the City, University of Antwerp, Belgium; Ilse Helbrecht and Gudrun Tegeder, Department of Geography, University of Bremen, Germany; Jozsef Hegedus and Nora Teller, Metropolitan Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary; Isabel Baptista and Pedro Perista, Centre for Studies for Social Intervention, Lisbon, Portugal; and Eva Andersson and Bengt Turner, Institute for Housing Research, Uppsala University, Sweden. Particular thanks to Janet Ford and John Doling for their encouragement with the production of this article. The OSIS project was funded by the European Commission (Contract no: CIT2‐CT‐2003‐506007).