Researchers using the narrative interview have pointed to two main problems of the technique: (a) the uncontrollable expectations of the informants, which raise doubts about the strong claim of non-direct of the NI, and (b) the often unrealistic role and rule requirements of its procedures.
Uncontrollable expectations in the interview
The interviewer aims to obtain a complete narration of events out of every interview, which expresses one specific perspective. They therefore pose as someone who knows nothing or very little about the story being told, and who has no particular interests related to it. Every participant, however, will make hypotheses about what the interviewer wants to hear and what they probably already know. Informants generally assume that the interviewer does know something about the story, and that they do not talk about what they know because they take it for granted. It is highly problematic to stage a ‘pretend play’ of naivety, especially over a series of interviews where the informant knows that he or she is not the first to be interviewed.
As noted above, every informant will make hypotheses about what the interviewer wants to hear. The interviewer must thus be sensitive to the fact that the story they obtain is to some degree
strategic communication, that is, it is a purposeful account either to please the interviewer, or to make a particular point within a complex political context that may be at stake. It may be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a narrative from a politician that is not a strategic communication. The informant might try to defend himself or herself in a conflict, or might put himself or herself in a positive light with regard to the events.
The interpretation of the NI must take into account such possible circumstances, which are unavoidable in the very situation of the interview. The narration in an NI is a function of the whole situation, and it has to be interpreted in the light of the situation of the study, the assumed strategy of the narrator and the expectations that the informant attributes to the interviewer. Independently of what the interviewer says, the informant may suspect a hidden agenda. Alternatively, the informant may trust the interviewer, not assume a hidden agenda, and render an authentic narrative of events, but may at the same time transform the interview into an arena to advance his or her perspective for purposes wider than the research agenda.
The texture of the narrative will depend to a large extent on the pre-knowledge that the informant attributes to the interviewer. To play ignorant may be an unrealistic role requirement on the interviewer. Each interview demands that the interviewer presents themselves as ignorant, while in fact, their actual knowledge is increasing from one interview to the next. The credibility of this pretence has limits, and the knowledge of the interviewer cannot be hidden for long.
Under these circumstances, Witzel (1982) is sceptical about the claim that the relevance structures of the informants are revealed by narration. Any conversation is guided by expectations of expectations. Even in cases where the interviewer abstains from framing questions and answers, the active informant will tell her story to please or to frustrate the interviewer, or to use the interviewer for purposes beyond the interviewer's control. In all cases, the informant's relevance structures may remain hidden. The narration reflects the interpretation of the interview situation. Strategic storytelling cannot be ruled out.
Researchers using the narrative interview have pointed to two main problems of the technique: (a) the uncontrollable expectations of the informants, which raise doubts about the strong claim of non-direct of the NI, and (b) the often unrealistic role and rule requirements of its procedures.Uncontrollable expectations in the interviewThe interviewer aims to obtain a complete narration of events out of every interview, which expresses one specific perspective. They therefore pose as someone who knows nothing or very little about the story being told, and who has no particular interests related to it. Every participant, however, will make hypotheses about what the interviewer wants to hear and what they probably already know. Informants generally assume that the interviewer does know something about the story, and that they do not talk about what they know because they take it for granted. It is highly problematic to stage a ‘pretend play’ of naivety, especially over a series of interviews where the informant knows that he or she is not the first to be interviewed.As noted above, every informant will make hypotheses about what the interviewer wants to hear. The interviewer must thus be sensitive to the fact that the story they obtain is to some degreestrategic communication, that is, it is a purposeful account either to please the interviewer, or to make a particular point within a complex political context that may be at stake. It may be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a narrative from a politician that is not a strategic communication. The informant might try to defend himself or herself in a conflict, or might put himself or herself in a positive light with regard to the events.The interpretation of the NI must take into account such possible circumstances, which are unavoidable in the very situation of the interview. The narration in an NI is a function of the whole situation, and it has to be interpreted in the light of the situation of the study, the assumed strategy of the narrator and the expectations that the informant attributes to the interviewer. Independently of what the interviewer says, the informant may suspect a hidden agenda. Alternatively, the informant may trust the interviewer, not assume a hidden agenda, and render an authentic narrative of events, but may at the same time transform the interview into an arena to advance his or her perspective for purposes wider than the research agenda.The texture of the narrative will depend to a large extent on the pre-knowledge that the informant attributes to the interviewer. To play ignorant may be an unrealistic role requirement on the interviewer. Each interview demands that the interviewer presents themselves as ignorant, while in fact, their actual knowledge is increasing from one interview to the next. The credibility of this pretence has limits, and the knowledge of the interviewer cannot be hidden for long.Under these circumstances, Witzel (1982) is sceptical about the claim that the relevance structures of the informants are revealed by narration. Any conversation is guided by expectations of expectations. Even in cases where the interviewer abstains from framing questions and answers, the active informant will tell her story to please or to frustrate the interviewer, or to use the interviewer for purposes beyond the interviewer's control. In all cases, the informant's relevance structures may remain hidden. The narration reflects the interpretation of the interview situation. Strategic storytelling cannot be ruled out.
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