Case study and narrative

Narrative inquiry involves the sense-making of lived experiences through storytelling. The approach is gaining prominence across various social science disciplines. In this chapter, case study researchers are introduced to the concept of thinking narratively and employing narrative genres and methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of complex phenomena in real-world contexts. The chapter discusses key conceptual, methodological and ethical considerations when combining narrative and case study approaches. It explores various ways in which researchers have incorporated narrative in case studies, such as narrative as the case, narrative of the case, narrative within the case, narrative around the case and the researcher’s own narrative behind the case. Additionally, the chapter addresses the importance of considering absent or marginalized narratives within case studies. The chapter concludes that narrative complements the focus of case study research on complexity and context by emphasizing inclusive representation and illuminating participant experiences and perspectives.