Guide to qualitative research in parliaments : experiences and practices / Valentine Berthet, Barbara Gaweda, Johanna Kantola, Cherry Miller, Petra Ahrens, Anna Elomäki

Chapter 1: Introduction to a practical guide on conducting qualitative research in parliaments -- Chapter 2: Set Up: The European Parliament -- Chapter 3: Introducing our Data -- Chapter 4: How was data gathered? Doing research interviews and ethnography -- Chapter 5: Coding the data -- Chapter 6: Interpreting the data -- Chapter 7: Conclusion

This open access book is a hands-on guide on doing qualitative research in parliaments, exploring achievements and drawbacks for all. From early-career scholars looking for an 'in' to start their research to senior academics interested in methodological details, the book offers a novel approach to discussing qualitative methodologies. It presents unique insights based on a large-scale qualitative study in the European Parliament using interview and ethnographic data. Comprehensive yet accessible, the book accounts the step-by-step process of qualitative research in parliaments, offering a reflexive and analytical perspective that moves beyond a textbook or theory-only format. Valentine Berthet is a postdoctoral researcher in the University of Helsinki, Centre for European Studies (CES). Barbara Gaweda is Senior Researcher in the University of Helsinki, Centre for European Studies (CES). Johanna Kantola is Professor of European Societies and their Politics in the University of Helsinki, Centre for European Studies (CES), Finland. Cherry Miller is a Lecturer in British and Comparative Politics at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Petra Ahrens is Academy Research Fellow at Tampere University, Finland. Anna Elomäki is Academy of Finland Research Fellow at Tampere University, Finland