2013 Annual Conference

Shared

Interviewing participants in positions of power requires additional preparation to gain access to those in elite-level positions, to minimize power issues, and to share what these participants have to say.

This session will be beneficial to researchers preparing qualitative and mixed-methods studies. Harvey (2011) observes “the general advice that scholars receive on interviewing is by no means the best advice for interviewing elite subjects” (p. 432). The experiences of researchers indicate that the interviewer’s knowledge of the research topic, as well as the interviewee’s background, career, culture, and preferences, helps the researcher gain access to those in positions of power, acquire their trust, and establish rapport. Pre-interview preparation can also “significantly increase the success of interviewing elites by decreasing the status imbalance between researched and researcher” (Mikecz, 2012, p. 483).

During interviews with participants in positions of power, these respondents may take control by limiting their available time, refusing to have their interviews recorded, allowing interruptions, multi-tasking during the interview, promoting their own agendas, and refusing to answer some of the questions. As a result of this session, session attendees will gain information on writing the IRB, using gatekeepers to gain access to elites, collecting background information on the interviewee, minimizing potential power issues, choosing a neutral location for the interview, recording the interview, and using quotations from elites.

The term ‘elite’ is associated with power and privilege. Researchers must be aware of both formal and informal power in particular contexts and be able to locate gatekeepers—those persons who can help researchers secure entry to organizations, as well as encourage individuals to participate in research studies. Where an interview takes place affects the degree of formality or informality of the interview, which, in turn, shapes the interview content. Most interviewers recognize that elites prefer open-ended questions. These participants “prefer to articulate their views, explaining why they think what they think” (Aberbach & Rockman, 2002, p. 674). Because elite interviewees are influential and powerful people, a common assumption is that their position is more powerful than that of the interviewer. In most cases, however, the interviewer is likely to be in the position of power, which may, in fact, facilitate the interviewer’s connection with elites.