Case Study Research

Abstract

This chapter outlines the methodological design of the research, the research questions, the aims of the research, and the methods chosen. Using a postpositivist framework of inquiry, this qualitative study uses the theory of phenomenology to inform the research process (Denzin & Lincoln 2000). The research crosses the boundaries of two disciplines, one represented by the theoretical tradition of social sciences and the other by the education tradition of adult learning. The research is inductive and framed by the activists’ stories. By using a multiple case study approach to the research (Stake 1995, 2003, 2006), the stories of activists are held up to view and their learning is identified, while still enabling the readers to construct their own interpretation of the narratives embedded in the case studies. My own experiences as an activist are positioned within the methodology so that they serve as a guide for the research and, in doing so, enable this study to explore the complexity of conducting research where the researcher is positioned as both outsider and insider. Finally, an outline of the research methods is given and the scope and limitations of the research are discussed.