Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities

A review of comparative qualitative content analysis methodology

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

Nourallah Nourani 1
Ali Alaei 2

1 Postdoctoral Fellow in Sociology, University of Tehran; Faculty Member, Institute for Security and Development, Department of Security Philosophy, Tehran, Iran

2 PhD Candidate and Faculty Member, Security Research Studies, Department of Security, University of Police Sciences, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22035/isih.2026.5449.5100
Abstract
This article introduces and systematizes a novel qualitative research method termed Qualitative Comparative Content Analysis (QCCA). Conceptualized as a fully qualitative and inter-paradigmatic approach grounded in abductive logic, QCCA integrates inductive meaning discovery with deductive theory-driven analysis through a unified comparative protocol. The method is developed using a qualitative–developmental research design, based on a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis of methodological literature published between 2000 and 2025. The resulting framework is operationalized in five analytical stages: data preparation, hybrid coding (open and directed), fuzzy normalization and multi-layered comparison, interpretation, and representation of findings. To assess its analytical capacity, QCCA is applied to a comparative case study of the concept of security in the works of Émile Durkheim and Jacques Derrida. The findings indicate that QCCA enables systematic comparison of meanings across divergent paradigms while preserving qualitative integrity and avoiding causal reductionism. Overall, QCCA offers a structured and reproducible model for qualitative comparative analysis, while further refinement of fuzzy calibration and validation criteria is recommended.

Keywords

qualitative research
inductive content analysis
deductive content analysis
qualitative comparative content analysi

Subjects

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Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities
Volume 18, Issue 2 - Serial Number 70
Evolutions in Interdisciplinary knowledge
Spring 2026
Pages 105-136

  • Receive Date 12 September 2025
  • Revise Date 17 October 2025
  • Accept Date 06 December 2025

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