Adjective-based qualitative comparative analysis: Relating immobility situations across contexts

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel adjective-based approach for conducting structured yet interpretive comparisons of case studies that explore the situated lived realities of diverse population groups. The method derives salient descriptive adjectives from qualitative data for individual cases, harmonises them across cases to build a shared comparative vocabulary, analyses their co-occurrence patterns using network analysis, and re-contextualises these clustered descriptors through relational comparison of narratives to preserve qualitative depth. The approach enables relational comparison among cases, supports analytical generalisation, and identifies both shared and case-specific configurations without sacrificing contextual richness. It is also flexible and allows for adaptations in each of its steps, that is, how descriptors are identified, harmonised, analysed, and interpreted comparatively. To demonstrate its application, we analyse data from semi-structured interviews conducted in 2022 with four immobile subpopulations, understood here as non-migrating groups studied within migration research: farmers in India, villagers in rural Zambia, university graduates in Ghana, and Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The adjective-based analysis identifies four interrelated dimensions of immobility: social ties and place attachment, cultural norms and (passive) acceptance, economic and structural constraints, and psychological and emotional responses. These dimensions vary in prominence and configuration across cases, illustrating both shared patterns and case-specific particularities. The findings highlight the multidimensional character of immobility and demonstrate the method's potential.