(iPoster) Interviews as a Critical Activity for Political Theory

• In Event: Poster Session: Foundations of Political Theory 1 (Normative)

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the challenges and opportunities faced by political theorists interested in conducting original interviews and field research. We begin by reviewing traditions in political theory that have embraced “ethnographic sensibilities” and argue that scholars trained in political theory have much to contribute to effective interviews. Moreover, the kind of knowledge produced in these exchanges can be valuable for illuminating political theory as a critical activity. Interviews have the potential to help political theorists connect abstract concepts to real lived experiences and voices, allowing them to speak across subfields and beyond academia. However, the structural barriers for political theorists interested in conducting original interviews are high. First, political science graduate programs often do not foster adequate training in interpretive methods. Second, practical issues including timing, funding, and planning for fieldwork are particularly onerous on junior scholars and those in fields not traditionally engaged with this kind of research (including political theory). Finally, emotional and personal difficulties often make interviewing uniquely complex. As such, human-subject research raises important ethical questions that must be adequately considered. In this project, we reflect on our experiences navigating these challenges as theorists interviewing Indigenous leaders in South America and lead scientists at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Our goal is to empower political theorists, especially junior scholars and graduate students, interested in ethnographic fieldwork to make informed decisions about conducting original interviews. In doing so, our paper contributes to the growing scholarship on ethnographic approaches to political theory.

Authors

• Glen Billesbach, The University of Florida

• Karla Mundim, John Jay College