Studying moving targets:

1. Legg inn«Avdeling / enhet» på hver side:1 Gå til menyen «Sett inn»2 Velg: Dato og klokkeslett3 Skriv navn på avdeling eller enhet i feltet «Bunntekst» 4 Velg «Bruk på alle" Department of Comparative Politics Studying moving targets: Using multiple case studies in comparative politics Ragnhild L. Muriaas (Ph.D)

2. Department of Comparative Politics Comparing interpretations • Whataretheaddedchallengesofstudying more thanone case in an explorativeanalysis? • Severalresearchersinterested in understandingongoingpoliticalprocessesthroughouttheworld. • The Arabic Spring • LGTB Rights • IntroductionofLocalElections in Africa

3. Department of Comparative Politics When is it fruitful to explore more than one contexts? Moses and Knutsen (2007) • Challenge the insufficiency of existing concepts and theories (example Reno 1999, LeBas 2011). • Expose the need for local agency (example Chabal2009). • Disclose false perceptions of ‘the Other’ (example Prunier2008). Other • Explore subjects that few have had the opportunity to study earlier (Resnick 2010)

4. Department of Comparative Politics My concern: • Guidelines arelacking for researcherswhosee it fruitful to explore in more detail a global phenomenonthatweknowlittleabout in more thanonecontext. • Comparativemethods (variousversionsofMill’smethods). Causalexplanations. (Not reallyinto data collection) Or • Single Case Studies. (Extensiveliteratureon data collection.)

5. Department of Comparative Politics The aim of this paper • Focusing on practical advices – less ambitious when it comes to situating itself within methodological debates. • Practical guide for novices. • Explore 5 dilemmas. • Based on a case study of studying local election campaigns in three countries (Malawi, South Africa and Uganda) that had recognised traditional institutions and recently embarked on the process of democratic decentralization.

6. Department of Comparative Politics Dilemma 1: Studying moving targets • The definition of a case study is that one studies a contemporary phenomenon in its real life context. • The advantage of this is of course that one can use methods, such as observation, to see what is going on. • The disadvantage is that the context might change dramatically while you are in the field. • MUST BE FLEXIBLE

7. Department of Comparative Politics Dilemma 2: Snorkeling or Diving? Approach to the cases: • Treateach case as a single case study, or • 2) Structured design, all cases studied by helpofthe same tools and questions. • 3) A combination oftheabove.

8. Department of Comparative Politics Dilemma 3: Allow for constant learning in the field? New insightsopentheeyes for new questions and relevant informants. • If research design open, thisaffectsyourstudy as the questions you ask in the last case, may have different nuancesthantheonesyouasked in the first. The sequencingofthe cases affectsyourfindings: • Bothwhatyousee and whatyoudon’tsee

9. Department of Comparative Politics Dilemma 4: It takes time to build trust • The multiple case investigator'sinvestmentsin identityarespread thinner than single-case researcher's. => Whenfield time is splitinto more cases, onemightinvest less, and gets less in return – in theunderstanding and controlofsubject-participantseffects.

10. Department of Comparative Politics Ways to develop the paper • Less ‘personal narrative’ • Introduce other researchers’ experiences • Focus on discussing practices, not the theory of methods…

11. Department of Comparative Politics