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The Problems With Interviews

University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Despite the popularity of the interview in qualitative research, methodological and theoretical problems remain. In this article, the author critically examines some of these problems for the researcher. He deals with the problems of power and resistance, distinguishing truth from authenticity, the (im)possibility of consent if knowing is a problem for both the interviewer and the interviewee, and the nature and significance of stories and the self. Although it is not always possible to address these problems directly, the author seeks in this article to create a dialogue with all of us for whom the interview is judged to be the appropriate answer to the research question "How can I know...?"

Key Words: consent • discourse • ethics • narratives • postmodern • power

Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 15, No. 5, 698-706 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/1049732304273903


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