Application of Analytical Triangulation in Narrative Research on International Circular Labour Migration

Abstract

Although triangulation is commonly used in sociology, its application in qualitative research is less frequent, often due to the perception that it serves primarily to ensure validity. This article contributes to discussions on analytical triangulation in qualitative research by demonstrating how it enables a more comprehensive understanding of a phenomenon through multiple perspectives. It presents the theoretical and methodological foundations of triangulation and applies two analytical approaches to the same dataset, using examples from narrative research on women’s circular labour migration. The study aims to understand elements of migrant women’s work experiences that enable and sustain international circular labour migration cycles. It is based on 25 narrative interviews with migrant women from Slavonia employed in domestic care, agriculture, and tourism sectors in Italy, Austria, and Germany. Two aspects of circular migration are analysed: the realisation of regular migration cycles—examined through coding all interviews—and atypical interruptions of migration cycles, followed by their continuation. The latter was explored using narrative reconstruction of stories from participants who experienced such disruptions. Coding results show that household duties are only temporarily redistributed during periods of absence yet persist in traditional forms over time. Vignettes reveal strategies for reorganizing domestic responsibilities, with turning points where the woman’s caregiving role becomes indispensable, prompting a family decision to end migration. The use of analytical triangulation enables a richer understanding of how gender and economic dimensions intertwine to disable/enable women’s circular labour migration cycles.