Reflexive advocacy: The role of the interviewer in presuppositional interviews in qualitative research

Abstract

The presuppositional interview in qualitative research requires the researcher to be interviewed about their thoughts, assumptions, and presumptions about their research. Its purpose is to recognise the impact of our thoughts, feelings, and actions in the ways in which we, as the researcher, exists in the research process. In earlier papers, we have discussed the purpose of the presuppositional interview, however, there is little attention in the literature about the person who interviews the researcher about their research, the presuppositional interviewer. The purpose of this paper is to discuss this unique role because the function and conversational structure differs from other types of interviewing. We propose the role of the presuppositional interviewer role is a reflexive advocate, as their engagement is intentionally directed toward supporting the researcher to develop insights about themselves, in the context of their research. The interviewer has no part in the interpretation. Instead, they are engaging in an activity which promotes the need to support and celebrate curiosity, but that remains in the domain of the researcher. To achieve this, we discuss the role and purpose of the presuppositional interviewer and offer practical guidance as to how to interview with presuppositional purpose.