Multiple Case-Based Hermeneutic Phenomenology

Multiple case-based hermeneutic phenomenology combines the interpretive depth of van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology with the structured cross-case logic of multiple-case study design. Each case — a bounded individual, group, or site — is analysed for the lived meaning of a shared phenomenon; findings are then compared across cases to reveal both unique contextual textures and common hermeneutic themes. The approach is favoured when context shapes experience in ways that a single case cannot fully illuminate.