Using CAP Data for Qualitative Policy Research

Abstract

The Comparative Agendas Project is among other things a retrieval system and as such can be leveraged for qualitative case-oriented research. This chapter aims to demonstrate CAP’s usefulness for such qualitative analysis, starting from case selection, going through familiarization with the case of interest and ending with a collection of the needed evidence. After explaining each phase in case-oriented research and the role CAP can play, each use is demonstrated using CAP data from Spain and the United States. The case selection procedure is demonstrated using the concept of policy drift, and the familiarization and evidence collection through childcare policy.