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27 - Case Studies: A Personal Account of Choices and Dilemmas

from Part VI - Qualitative Data Collection Sources

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 December 2024

By
Christine Meyer
Edited by
John E. Edlund  and
Austin Lee Nichols
John E. Edlund
Affiliation:
Rochester Institute of Technology, New York
Austin Lee Nichols
Affiliation:
Central European University, Vienna
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Summary

This chapter is a personal account of choices and dilemmas I have faced when conducting case studies. From the very start of my career as a researcher, I have been attracted to getting my hands dirty and conducting case studies in the field. Case studies are not a straightforward research strategy, however. There are multiple choices and dilemmas on the way and there is no “right way” of doing them. Nevertheless, my long career as a case researcher has given me the courage to compile some reflections and recommendations. Throughout the chapter, I draw on some of the most prominent case researchers in the field and present their various approaches to conducting case studies. To give life to the text, I have included examples and illustrations from my own work, being as honest and open as I can about my choices and the difficulties and ethical dilemmas I met on my way.

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Chapter
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The Cambridge Handbook of Research Methods and Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences
Volume 2: Performing Research
 , pp. 616 - 639
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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