Learning from Locals: Doing Interviews in Southeast Asia

Abstract

As a tool to access first-hand information, interviewing is used in virtually every social science discipline. Its use is based on the idea that conversation between two unfamiliar individuals (the interviewer [or researcher] and the interviewee) is possible (Gobo 2011). This possibility requires that both parties share certain knowledge, such as language and vocabularies, which allow them to converse meaningfully. With this knowledge and regardless of the socio-economic, cultural and political background, the interviewer and interviewee can communicate by asking and responding to questions, as well as by describing stories, opinions and attitudes (ibid., 424–5). And because linguistic elements, such as “words” and stories, are sometimes more important than other kinds of expression, an interview may be conducted through means such as telephone and email. Used either solely or in combination with other methods, an interview is recommended when information sought is not available in the form of published books, records, reports and documents (Doyle 2006).