ABSTRACT
Rural criminological researchers continue to use varying methods to explore rural areas, people, cultures, and crime. Qualitative methods are often utilized to discuss the meaning making process of specific phenomena in rural areas, including media depictions, drugs, addiction, and gender. Content analysis is one qualitative methodological tool that researchers utilize in criminology. This chapter begins with a historical overview of qualitative methods, focusing on definitions and the philosophical underpinnings. We then focus on content analysis, defining the method, discussing its use in criminology more broadly, and proceeding with a specific overview of the method's use in rural criminological research. The chapter concludes with examining the potential of content analysis in rural criminology, outlining possible avenues of research that will broaden the understanding of rural areas and crime.
