Contextualisation in cross- national comparative qualitative/ biographical research

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Contextualisation in cross- national comparative
qualitative/ biographical research

• Julia Brannen (Thomas Coram research Unit,
  Institute of Education)
• Ann Nilsen (University of Bergen)

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What is contextualisation?

• Making sense of data in context that is in
  relation to other data. Typically it involves
• Integrating qualitative and quantitative
  evidence
• Reviewing literature
• Referring to national trend data
• Using documentary evidence

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Contextualisation as a process of interpretation
using different sets/ types of evidence

• Integration of different sets/ types of evidence
  (qual and quant) is not straight forward and is a
  methodological issue
• Different types of sets/ evidence may serve a
  conceptual purpose e.g. to transcend levels of
  society - micro and macro

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Two main traditions in comparative cross-national
research

• Case-based comparative research e.g. comparative
  cross-national qualitative studies
• Variable-based comparative research e.g.
  European surveys

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A case-based comparative Xnational approach
(adopted in our own study)

• Criteria for selection of cases (countries,
  organisations/ institutions and samples of
  individuals)
• Case selection on criteria of similarity versus
  difference
• Emphasis is on the whole case parts cannot be
  understood without reference to the whole

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A case-based Xnational study

• Transitions Gender, Parenthood and the European
  Workplace
• EU funded under Framework 5
• www.workliferesearch.org/transitions

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Research design multiple phases, methods and data

• Phase 1 Mapping of statistical trends and
  literature reviews in 8 countries
• Phase 2 Organisational case studies using
  qualitative methods (focus groups, interviews and
  documentation) conducted in 7 countries (2
  sectors public and private)
• Phase 3 Biographical interviews conducted with
  individual parents and partners selected as
  matched cases across countries from Phase 2

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Levels of theorisation macro, meso and micro

• Macro national and European level (survey data
  literature public policy documents) (Phase 1)
• Meso organisational case study (Phase 2)
• Micro Individual biographical interviews with
  parents and interviews with partners (Phase 3)

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Analysis at different levels

• Be clear in making interpretations
• What is the level - macro, meso, micro - that
  you are focussing on at any point in interpreting
  case-based research ?

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Aims in Phase 3 Biographical interviews with
parents

• To provide an analysis of parents biographies
  and experiences in relation to different levels
  of context

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Comparative analysis of interview data

• Comparative analysis of current experiences of
  being a working parent (Julia to discuss)
• Comparative analysis of parents biographies and
  their transitions to parenthood (Ann to discuss)

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The approach to analysis and writing up

• National teams did separate analyses of own data
  to a common framework
• National teams wrote National Reports to a common
  framework provided by lead authors of
  cross-national report
• Lead authors of Cross-National Report did
  analyses of cases across countries based upon
  National Reports and Summaries of each individual
  parents interviewed by each team (all translated)

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Case selection in comparative analysis of
parents current experiences of working parenthood

• Selected matched cases in order to compare like
  with like
• Compromises had to be made made as comparability
  incomplete

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Comparative cross-national analysis a
multi-layered contextual approach

• 4 Social Care Assistants current experiences of
  working motherhood (all working in social
  services)
• Dahlia large city in Portugal
• Susanne in large city in Sweden
• Rosa in medium sized city in Bulgaria
• Carol in metropolis in UK

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Macro Level the State Paid Parental Leave Affordable public childcare Right to part time working after PL Statutory time off for sick child
Portugal Low Low No No
Sweden High High Yes Yes
Bulgaria High High No Yes
UK Low Low No No
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Meso/ organisational level Portugal Sweden UK Bulgaria
Contracts Mix Mix Mix Mostly permanent
Weekly Hours 35 40 36 40
Short day Yes Yes (Law) No No
Annual leave 22-27 25 24-30 20 days
Other flexible working Some Yes but Limited No
Pay Low Moderate Low- moderate Very low
Qualifications Low Upper secondary Low Mix
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Meso level Portugal Sweden UK Bulgaria
Knowledge About FF policy Variable Variable Variable variable
Sickness time-off Easy Easy Easy Easy
Equal opps Public sector law Yes but Yes but None
Time off sick children 30 days a year 60 days a year (law) 6 days a year 60 days a year (law)
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The micro level Comparative biographies of 2
care workers

• Dália (Portugal)
• left school at 13,
• full-time employment now
• lived with parents until married at 28
• Two children first C at 30
• husband unemployed

• Susanne (Sweden)
• left school at 18
• 80 time now
• lived independently before marriage at 23
• 1 child at 36
• husband employed

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How did mothers manage?

• Dália (Portugal)
• Short paid P leave
• Grandmother does childcare in childs home
• Other help from family
• Little help from husband

• Susanne (Sweden)
• Long shared P Leave
• Local childcare centre
• No family nearby
• Husband active in childcare
• Long travel to work

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How the macro and meso levels play out at the
micro level in supporting these 4 mothers?

• Importance of additional contextual explanations
  sources of support / lack of support
• Some methods do not necessarily reveal rival or
  additional explanations

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Individual interviews a biographical approach

• Biography A story told in the present about
  events and experiences in a persons past and
  her/his expectations for the future

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Analysis of parents transitions to parenthood
(life lines)

• Timing of key events in the life course in
  relation to
• The cohort s/he belongs to
• The overall conditions in the historical
  period in which a life is lived and the
  structural context of the society
• The persons gender and social class etc

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Based on analysis by national teams

• Life lines provided
• Comparisons between own data and national data,
  for example typical timing of parenthood in the
  life course for age, social class
• Timings of life course transitions of individuals
  in relation to other transitions
• Contrasts between life lines within countries

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Value of a biographical/ life course approach to
the national teams

• How life course transitions are interpreted and
  talked about by the interviewee
• How different layers of context are made relevant
  in the interviews, particularly with reference to
  the transition to parenthood
• How some discourses are silent/silenced
• Assistance in the selection of cases

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Cross-national analysis of life lines
(Consolidated Interview Report)

• Case selection based on material available incl.
  national reports and summaries
• Cases chosen with contrasting life course
  patterns
• Interview text
• Reports on meso level data (organisations) and
  macro level data national and cross national
  reports from earlier phases of the study

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Examples of analysis from the ground up

• Drawing on all available data
• Focussing on life lines
• Analysing life lines with reference to different
  layers of context including the historical context

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Example of life line UK mother middle education
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