Qualitative Interviewing. Lea Sgier Department of Political Science Central European University. MA Programme in Political Science (elective)

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1 Qualitative Interviewing Lea Sgier Department of Political Science Central European University MA Programme in Political Science (elective) Autumn semester (2 credits) Class meetings : Friday 11:00-12:40 Office hours: Thursday 9:30-12:30 (by prior appointment) and Friday 12:45-13:45 (without prior appointment), FT902 Introduction This course aims to introduce the participants to qualitative interviewing, one of the key methods for qualitative data generation across the social sciences. We start with some initial considerations on the goals and specificities of (research) interviewing, its uses and misuses. We then go systematically through the various stages the compose an interview study: from conceptualisation and operationalisation (turning theoretical questions into a topic guide) to finding and accessing respondents, carrying out the interview and turning it into data (transcription). Data analysis will also be evoked, but only briefly. In the second part of the course, we will raise theoretical, ethical and epistemological issues of various kinds: how to conceptualise and understand an interview interaction, how to reflect on, and deal with the (inevitable) power relation that arises in any interview situation, in particular in situations of interviewing up and down. The course consists of a mixture of lectures, discussions of key readings and exercises done prior to the class, and practical exercises in class. Participation in this course requires some availability outside class hours for practical work. The participants will need a recording device (digital recorder, ipad, iphone or any other device that allows for data download). This course can usefully be taken in combination with the Qualitative Data Analysis course in the winter semester. Learning outcomes By the end of the course, the students will: 1. Understand the uses, theoretical bases and practicalities of interview research; 2. Have acquired practical skills in qualitative interviewing: know how to go about setting up, carrying out and transcribing research interviews; 3. Have an understanding of ethical and epistemological issues of qualitative research. Course requirements and assessment Assessment will be based on the following: Final paper (60%) This final paper will consist in several parts that will be detailed in the course. At its core it will have a full and fully transcribed interview of good quality, conducted (in person) with a 1

2 person with whom the student did not have any close acquaintance prior to the interview. The paper will also contain an introduction and a conceptual framework, a methodological diagnose of the interview and a short analysis of its contents. The interview needs to be conducted in a language that the instructor understands (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish). For verification purposes, the instructor may request to listen to an extract of the taped interview. Intermediate assignments and active participation (40%) A series of assignments, mostly linked to the readings and/or to the final paper. These assignments will include the obligation to conduct (and report back on) at least two pilot interviews. Active participation is required throughout the course, in accordance with CEU s attendance policy. The use of laptops is not allowed during this course. Mobile phones have to be switched off and stored away for the duration of the course. Deadline for the final papers: 31 st December pm CET. It is strongly recommended that final papers be submitted to the Academic Writing Centre before submission, as poor writing will entail a reduction of the grade. Technical requirements The participants need a digital recording device with download function (such as digital recorder, iphone, ipad, mp3 etc.). They are advised to install a transcription assistance software on their computer (such as ExpressScribe, F4/F5 or similar). Audience This course is prioritarily for MA students in political science. Auditors are not admitted to this course. Students who participated in the Qualitative Research Methods course (or earlier) are not admitted to this course. 2

3 Course outline Provisional adjustments may be made in the course of the semester. Week 1 (26 Sept) Introduction to research interviewing Introduction to the course practicalities Introduction to qualitative (research) interviewing Why (not) interview? Required reading: (1) Arksey, Hilary and Knight, Peter (1999). Interviews for Social Scientists. London: Sage, pp , (2) Weiss, Robert (1994). Learning from Strangers: The Art and Method of Qualtiative Interivew Studies. New York: Free Press, ch. 1. Conceptualising for interview studies Types of interviews Working with sensitising concepts The interview process. Week 2 (3 Oct) (3) Bowen, Glenn A "Grounded Theory and Sensitizing Concepts." International Journal of Qualitative Methods 5(3), article 2. Retrieved on September 5 from (4) Berg, Bruce L. (2009). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Needham Heights, Mass. : Allyn&Bacon. (chapter 4). (5) Foddy, William (1993). Construction Questions for Interviews and Questionnaires. Theory and Practice in Social Research. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp Additional reading: Corbetta, Piergiorgio (2003). Social Research. Theory, Methods and Techniques. London: Sage, ch. 2 ("Quantitative and Qualitative Research"), pp The topic guide Conceptual and interactional logic Question wording, sequencing Types of questions Week 3 (10 Oct) (6) Arthur, Sue and Nazroo, James (2003). Designing Fieldwork Strategies and Materials, in Ritchie, Jane et Lewis, Jane (éds), Qualitative Research Practice. London: Sage, ch. 5, pp ). 3

4 (7) Keats, Daphne (2000). Interviewing. A Practical Guide for Students and Professionals. Sydney: University of South Wales Press, ch Week 4 (17 Oct) Topic guide (2) and interview interaction (1) Interviewer and interviewee roles Interactional dynamics in interview situations (8) Seidman, Irving (1998). Interviewing as Qualitative Research. A Guide for Researchers in Educational and the Social Sciences. New York: Teachers College Press, ch. 7. (9) Weiss, Robert (1994). Learning from Strangers. The Art and Method of Qualitative Interview Studies. New York: the Free Press, pp Week 5 (24 Oct) Interview interaction (2) Managing the normal interview Content mining and content mapping questions Probing and prompting techniques (10) Hermanowicz, Joseph C. (2002). "The Great Interview: 25 Strategies for Studying People in Bed", Qualitative Sociology 25(4): (11) Seidman, Irving (1998). Interviewing as Qualitative Research. A Guide for Researchers in Educational and the Social Sciences. New York: Teachers College Press, ch. 6. (12) Legard, Robin and Keegan, Jill (2003). «In-Depth Interviews», in Ritchie, Jane et Lewis, Jane (éds), Qualitative Research Practice. London: Sage (chap. 6, pp ). Week 6 - (31 Oct)!! double class 9:30-13:00!! Interview interaction (3) o Theorising interview interactions o Difficult respondents From interviews to data : transcription Acess and ethics (13) Goffman, Erving (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Doubleday Anchor Books, ch. 3 and 6. (14) Garfinkel, Harold (1967). Studies in Ethnomethodology. Cambridge: Prentice Hall, ch. 3. 4

5 (15) Seidman, Irving (1998). Interviewing as Qualitative Research. A Guide for Researchers in Educational and the Social Sciences. New York: Teachers College Press, ch. 4. Additional readings: Kvale, Steinar (1996). InterViews. An Introduction to Qualitative Interviewing. Thousand Oaks: Sage, ch. 6. Adler, Patricia A. and Adler, Peter (2002). "The Reluctant Respondent", in Gubrium, Jaber F. and Holstein, James A., (eds) The Handbook of Interview Research (1 st ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage, pp Code of Ethics of the American Sociological Association ASA (on-line) Week 7 (7 Nov)!! No class meeting Interview data and epistemology Sampling Week 8 (14 Nov) (16) Kvale, Steinar (1996). InterViews. An Introduction to Qualitative Interviewing. Thousand Oaks: Sage, ch. 3. (17) Borland, Katherine (2004). That is Not What I Said. Interpretive Conflict in Oral Narrative Research, in Hesse-Biber, S.N. et Leavy, P. (eds), Approaches to Qualitative Research. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp (18) Luborsky, Mark R. and Rubinstein, Robert L. (1995). "Sampling in Qualitative Research: Rationale, Issues, and Methods". Research on Aging 17: Diagnosing interview transcripts Analysing interview data Week 9 (21 Nov) (19) McCormack, Coralie (2002). "From Interview Transcript to Interpretive Story: Part 1 Viewing the Transcript Through Multiple Lenses". Field Methods, Vol. 12, No. 4, November (20) Riessman, Catherine Kohler (2008). Narrative Methods for the Human Sciences. London: Sage, chap. 3 (pp ). Week 10 (28 Nov) Interviewing down interviewing the vulnerable (21) Klempner, Mark (2000). Navigating Life Review Interviews with Survivors of Trauma. The Oral History Review 27(2):

6 (22) Van den Hoonaard, Deborah Destin (2005). Am I Doing It Right? : Older Widows as Interview Participants in Qualitative Research. Journal of Aging Studies 19 (2005): (23) Russell, Cherry (1999). Interviewing Vulnerable Old People: Ethical and Methodological Implications of Imagining Our Subjects. Journal of Aging Studies 13(4): Additional readings: Kennedy Bergen, Raquel. (1993). Interviewing Survivors of Marital Rape : Doing Feminist Research on Sensitive Topics. in Renzetti, C.M. et Lee, R.M. (eds), Researching Sensitive Topics. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, pp Liamputtong, Pranee (2007).Researching the Vulnerable. London: Sage. Interviewing up elite interviews Week 11 (5 Dec) (24) Werning Rivera, Sharon, Kozyreva, Polina M. And Sarovskii, Eduard G. (2002). Interviewing Political Elites: Lessons from Russia. PS December 2002: (25) Berry, Jeffrey M. (2002). Validity and Reliability Issues in Elite Interviewing. PS December 2002: (26) Mikecz, Robert (2012). Interviewing Elites: Addressing Methodological Issues. Qualitative Inquiry : Additional readings: Ostrander, Susan A. (1993). Surely You re Not in This Just To Be Helpful : Access, Rapport, and Interviews in Three Studies of Elites. in R. Hertz et J.B. Imber (eds), Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 22: Lilleker, Darren (2003). "Interviewing the Political Elite: Navigating a Political Minefield", Politics 23(3): Final exercise Week 12 (12 Dec) 31 st December pm CET Deadline for the final papers 6