Qualitative Methods and Interpersonal Citizen-State Encounters: Interpreting Policing in the United States

Abstract

The heart of the citizen-state encounter is the interpersonal interaction, and quantitative methods alone cannot fully capture its nuances. The interpersonal citizen-state encounter entails emotions, antecedents, and perspectives that inform present interactions and require interpretation, all hallmarks of qualitative methods. To demonstrate the complexity of the citizen-state encounter and the necessity of listening to interpret interactions, I examine how historical antecedents of African Americans’ encounters with police can create intergenerational socialization into police distrust that informs how police are seen today. Myriad influences enter police interactions, including the knowledge of continuous racism in police history. Administrators untrained in qualitative methods will not be able to appropriately listen and interpret. This project initially planned to explore symbolic representation in policing but, over its course, it became clear that history influenced how respondents viewed police, further highlighting the importance of listening.