Case
Abstract
This case study takes as its focus the deployment of the elite interview method in politicised policy areas. It draws upon the experiences garnered from two research projects – one focusing upon terrorism and the other on sex trafficking – to consider the realities of interviewing experts with recognised knowledge and power in fields that are characterised by contestation. We cast a critically reflexive eye over three key stages of the fieldwork process: pre-interview, interview and post-interview. In so doing, we outline both the advantages of the method for gaining an insight into the competing perspectives of individuals and organisations engaged in policy-relevant debates, and the apparent complexities associated with interviewing people who are considered experts in their field.