Sociocultural contexts and power dynamics in research interviews: Methodological considerations in Confucian society.

In this reflexive essay, I raise issues about power dynamics between interviewers and interviewees based on my experiences conducting research interviews in South Korea. I focus on the sociocultural contexts that drive social agents' behaviors in the interview process, which in Korean Confucian cont...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Qualitative Research Vol. 23; no. 6; pp. 1556 - 1574
Autor principal: Kim, Geena
Formato: Journal Article
Publicado: Sage Publications Inc. Dec2023
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:In this reflexive essay, I raise issues about power dynamics between interviewers and interviewees based on my experiences conducting research interviews in South Korea. I focus on the sociocultural contexts that drive social agents' behaviors in the interview process, which in Korean Confucian contexts include respect for adults and educational fervor. A particular configuration of authority relationships was evident in each scenario, showing how sociocultural contexts underlie the complicated power dynamics of interview situations, which can be further complicated by topics that require participants to share their intellectual notions. Based on my interview experiences, I argue that acknowledging these social contexts and their impacts on power relations will serve to strengthen the depth of engagement in interviews and therefore the quality and potential impact of qualitative interview research.