Secondary analysis of qualitative interview data (in Germany) – problems and open issues of a new research strategy

Abstract

Qualitative data are a rich and often not fully exploited source of research material. Nonetheless they are seldom reanalysed. The analysis of a nationwide German survey of qualitative researchers shows that there are some concerns and open issues associated with this new and unfamiliar research strategy secondary analysis. On the methodological side specificity and context sensitivity of qualitative research are raised as objections against secondary analysis. On the ethical side concerns relate to an assumed breach of the confidential relationship to the research subject constituted within an interview. Furthermore, considerations concerning competition play also a role when researchers are asked to provide their data for reuse by others. This article provides a first step for a discussion about qualitative secondary analysis (in Germany), by pointing out the critical aspects of secondary analysis based on the conducted expert interviews. But experiences of the interviewed researchers with secondary analysis show as well that these problems do not necessarily constitute unsolvable obstacles.