Survey research and sensitivity to context: The myplace project and its case study approach

Abstract

This chapter provides the rationale for the research design of the survey element of the MYPLACE project. It contends that, in the study of youth participation, the survey method is best undertaken in defined research locations, allowing data to be analysed in conjunction with known local socio-historical experiences. The MYPLACE project demonstrates the significant value added by undertaking a multi-method research design in carefully selected research locations across Europe. While it is not possible to generalise to the whole country, this is not a disadvantage when the phenomena under study are not necessarily nation specific. The MYPLACE survey, with almost 17,000 respondents from 30 research locations in 14 countries, provides the most detailed set of case studies on youth political participation in Europe ever collected.