Research interviews: Measuring, feeling, and constructing social problems

This chapter provides an overview of the research interview as it relates to the study of social problems. After a general introduction to the history and theoretical foundations of the research interview, four interview methods (survey, in-depth, ethnographic, and active interviews) are briefly described. The power dynamics and ethics of the research interview are then considered, especially in relation to marginal populations. I end the chapter by considering (1) the future of the interview in light of emergent technologies and research paradigms and (2) concerns about its misuse and overuse as a data collection tool.