A1 Journal article (refereed)
Between context and comparability : Exploring new solutions for a familiar methodological challenge in qualitative comparative research (2020)

Kosmützky, A., Nokkala, T., & Diogo, S. (2020). Between context and comparability : Exploring new solutions for a familiar methodological challenge in qualitative comparative research. Higher Education Quarterly, 74(2), 176-192. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12255

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Kosmützky, Anna; Nokkala, Terhi; Diogo, Sara

Journal or series: Higher Education Quarterly

ISSN: 0951-5224

eISSN: 1468-2273

Publication year: 2020

Volume: 74

Issue number: 2

Pages range: 176-192

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12255

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/67920

Abstract

Finding the balance between adequately describing the uniqueness of the context of studied phenomena and maintaining sufficient common ground for comparability and analytical generalisation has widely been recognised as a key challenge in international comparative research. Methodological reflections on how to adequately cover context and comparability have extensively been discussed for quantitative survey or secondary data research. In addition, most recently, promising methodological considerations for qualitative comparative research have been suggested in comparative fields related to higher education. The article’s aim is to connect this discussion to comparative higher education research. Thus, the article discusses recent advancements in the methodology of qualitative international comparative research, connects them to older analytical methods that have been used within the field in the 1960s and 1970s, and demonstrates their analytical value based on their application to a qualitative small‐N case study on research groups in diverse organisational contexts in three country contexts.

Keywords: educational science; tertiary education; methodology; research methods; comparative research; comparative education

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 1