Qualitative methods in citizenship studies

Research on citizenship spans questions of belonging and membership, and of rights and political participation. It often crosses the boundaries of legal status, posing questions that require well-chosen methodological tools, to be properly answered. This chapter focuses on qualitative methods for research in citizenship studies and starts with a brief outline of the possibilities and limitations of qualitative methods, beginning with the foundational issue of categorisation. Who is included in citizenship research, and why? Is this based on legal status, on participation, or on the practice of citizenship? Thereafter the chapter proceeds with a discussion of four examples of research methods and specific techniques, where a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis adds value, insight and opportunities for interpretation.