Realities of comparative research Marilyn Taylor Chris Miller University of the West of England, Bristol, UK

Research aims How global trends translate into different cultural contexts How non-governmental actors ‘navigate the tensions’ experienced in governance arrangements, e.g. autonomy, legitimacy Drawing on governance, governmentality and social movement theory

The research team Led from the UK in collaboration with the New Bulgarian University, Sofia and the University of Central America, Managua Informed by an Advisory Group made up of academics and NGOs

Primarily qualitative research methods National overviews –Semi-structured interviews –Documentary evidence City-based, organisational case studies –Semi-structured interviews –Inquiry groups Involving participants –Web-based knowledge exchange –Inter-site video conference

Communication via (with later attempts at Skype) 3 UK-based full team meetings UK contact visits to non-UK sites Additional sub-team visits to UK (Bulgaria only)

Emerging dilemmas Whose research? Power and discourse Building international understanding Developing a common approach Revisiting definitions and assumptions A participatory approach

Whose research? Unequal starting points –Research design and application process Funding flows Western discourse –English as the dominant language –Western concepts Programme and Advisory Group based in England

Building international understanding Relevance of Western concepts NGO governance Different disciplines Applying the global to the local and the local to the global –Country selection based on pragmatism –Finding comparative frames –The significance of similarities and differences

Developing a common approach Different local imperatives and styles of work Different expectations of cross-national research Approaches to research within and between sub-teams Case study selection: locations and organisations –Pragmatism and access –Reflecting local context Software and analysis

Revisiting definitions The unit of analysis Blurring boundaries

A participatory approach? Engaging participants in the research Engaging participants with each other Practical difficulties –Language –Technology –Time –The Advisory Group