Qualitative research methods in cross-national settings

This paper analyses the central concerns of selection and execution of cross-national qualitative research. Discussion is issue-driven, incorporating relevant publications on the basis of good practice. An assessment is made of the potential of the qualitative approach in cross-national settings, as well as its pitfalls. Questions of sampling and the attributes of specific methods are then addressed. The paper concludes with a brief review of the added value of qualitative data software packages.