Linguistic and Cultural Challenges in the Qualitative Content Analysis of Music Biographical Interviews With Chinese and Swiss Music Students

Abstract

In this report we consider methodological challenges that arise in intercultural comparative research projects due to linguistic diversity and culture-specific connotations. Solutions for the collection, preparation, and evaluation of data in multilingual settings were developed based on a content-structuring qualitative content analysis of multilingual interview transcripts. Collaboration with interpreters and co-interviewers is crucial for conducting interviews in the mother tongue of the interviewees. This collaborative process is described and a possible procedure for the transcription, translation, and analysis of foreign language data is outlined. In addition to the intercultural competence and cultural knowledge of the researchers, their exchange with experts prior to data collection and with translators during data preparation and evaluation plays an important role.