Rethinking Methodological Frameworks in Qualitative Comparative Migration Policy Research

Authors

• Afag Javadova, Toronto Metropolitan University, Ontario, CanadaFollow

Abstract

Capturing the nuanced dynamics of sub-national migration policy requires methodological frameworks that integrate multiple sources of evidence while remaining attentive to context-specific processes. Such approaches are well-suited to tracing interactions among policy actors and institutions within evolving, locally embedded systems of comparative policymaking. This study examines why municipalities operating under similar macro-level conditions pursue divergent policy trajectories in migration governance and demonstrates the analytical rigor and explanatory power of qualitative thematic analysis in accounting for this variation. Drawing on policy documents, archival records, and media sources from Toronto, San Francisco, and Wellington, it employs a hybrid inductive–deductive coding approach to analyze interactions among political actors, institutions, and grassroots advocacy. The findings show that differences in political culture, bureaucratic strategies, and advocacy networks generate distinct configurations of opportunities and barriers, producing varied approaches to non-citizen participation across the three cases. By systematically integrating diverse forms of evidence, thematic analysis reveals how local agency and institutional structures interact to shape these outcomes, offering empirically grounded insights for the design of context-sensitive migration policies.

Keywords

comparative analysis, qualitative migration policy research, thematic analysis, thematic coding

Author Bio(s)

Afag Javadova holds a Ph.D. in Policy Studies from Toronto Metropolitan University. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on immigration and settlement policy, qualitative methodologies, and research ethics, with particular attention to the lived experiences of marginalized communities. She has extensive experience across academic, governmental, and non-profit sectors, where she has undertaken a range of research and policy-oriented roles. She is currently a Research Affiliate at Toronto Metropolitan University, contributing to the Soli*City project, which examines the integration experiences of migrants with precarious status in urban settings. Please direct correspondence to afag.javadova@gmail.com

Acknowledgements

N/A

Publication Date

8-2-2026

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Recommended APA Citation

Javadova, A. (2026). Rethinking methodological frameworks in qualitative comparative migration policy research. The Qualitative Report, 31(7), 6328-6349.

ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5167-2050