SEA IN THE CONTEXT OF LANDTUSE PLANNING

Directive 2001/42/EC in the legal institutional system. The case study research approachborrows from different methodological approaches, e.g. hermeneutic research approach,grounded theory and critical theory, and can be applied in both qualitative and quantitativeresearch. Yin (1984) defines the case study research method as an empirical inquiry thatinvestigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context; when the boundariesbetween phenomenon and context are not clearly evident; and in which multiple sources ofevidence are used (Yin 1984:23). Among the characteristics of case studies is that they arecontext dependant, apply combined methodology and are carried out in the present(Johansson 2002). Furthermore, case studies can be “… particularly valuable when the evaluationaims to capture individual differences or unique variations form one program setting to another, or from oneprogram experience to another” (Patton 1990:54). Among the ground methods of case studyresearch is triangulation, i.e. that different research methods are applied in order to establish oraim for more accurate research results. In that way, the research methods included in casestudy research can include documents, archival records, open-ended interviews, focusedinterviews, structures interviews, surveys and direct observations. This is partly applied inthis research with a combination of document and literature review and some interviews. Thecase study approach was chosen as it is considered to be particularly valuable when thecomparative analysis aims to capture individual differences or unique variation from onestudy object to another (Patton 1990:50). Case studies are suitable for ‘how’ and ‘why’questions and do not need to be based upon a clear proposition (Yin 1984). The aim istherefore not to draw conclusions that can be generalised for all the countries affected by theSEA directive, but to improve the understanding of the particular circumstances to which thedirective is introduced. In that way, by describing the way that the directive is introduced in aparticular national context, conclusions can be drawn on the relevance of the differentcontextual aspects on the way that the directive is implemented as well as its potential toreach its objectives of protecting the environment, leading to environmental integration andpromoting sustainable development.The identification of the three countries as case studies corresponds with Patton’s (1990)categories of purposeful sampling. The three countries all need to comply with the EUdirective 2001/42/EC, which is introduced to an existing land-use planning system, as well asall countries have some experience of applying the methodology of strategic environmentalassessment to their planning system. The aim was therefore to capture common patterns, aswell as divergences and relate those to the introduction of the SEA directive to the nationallegal system. Furthermore, all three countries are contexts which I personally have experienceof working and studying within the planning system and consider myself to have anunderstanding of their workings which is advantageous to the research.13