Abstract:
A review of the research methodology literature suggests that owing to the difficulty of
gaining access to and obtaining commitments from elites, social scientists less frequently use
them as research respondents, opting instead to investigate those over whom power is
exercised. This article provides insights into some intricacies of elite interviewing. It
recounts the experience of a novice researcher in his quest to gain access to and interview
elite individuals within the Ghanaian educational system for his PhD thesis. In the process,
the article sheds light on strategies and techniques (related to interviewee identification,
scheduling, and researcher preparation for the interview, as well as rapport establishment
with potential interviewees) that are helpful as toolkits in ensuring that elite interview
processes are not unduly derailed. The article argues that the strategies discussed are useful
for circumventing formalised and “public relations” responses, which elites tend to
communicate with the press and public.
