In comparative studies, there is a natural trade-off between optimizing cross-countries and optimizing within-countries. In deciding the details of the study's design we have given top priority to the first criterion, i.e. maximal comparability. Strategies were chosen that are feasible and promising in all four national contexts simultaneously. The result are strongly harmonized instruments. Each country team, however, implemented the study in their respective country separately.
The study was originally conducted in:
- Germany
Frank Kalter, MZES / University of Mannheim
Irena Kogan, MZES / University of Mannheim
Clemens Kroneberg, MZES / University of Mannheim (now: University of Cologne)
- the Netherlands
Matthijs Kalmijn, Tilburg University (now: NIDI-KNAW / University of Groningen)
Frank van Tubergen, ICS / ERCOMER / Utrecht University
- Sweden
Jan O. Jonsson, SOFI / Stockholm University (now: SOFI / IFFS / Oxford University)
- England
Anthony Heath, Oxford University
Miles Hewstone, Oxford University
The German team, under the direction of the project's prinicpal investigator Frank Kalter, was responsible for the international coordination of the project and ensured maximum comparability of the study in terms of questionnaire and sampling. Also, the German team manages the cross-country data sets and their public release.
For more information about the different country teams have a look into our Team section.