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I had prepared an open ended interview protocol. Preparing a semi‐structured
questionnaire also helps manage time and elicit the needed information. ‘The quintessential feature
of in‐depth interviews is the use of open‐ended (though not necessarily unscripted) questions,
which are followed up with probes in response to participants’ answers. Despite that, often, instead
of me guiding the interviews, it was the interviewees who were guiding me. Nevertheless, my
patience helped me get some quality information. .
6. Traits required ‐For researching about as complex phenomenon as gender, one has to
deploy qualitative methods (Cresswell and Clark 2011). For the same, one requires a fair dose of
empathy, perseverance, listening skills, humility, communication, simplicity and diplomacy at the
same time. The male dominance and subjugation which women have gone though for centuries ,
often makes them a very complex, not so approachable and not likely to ‘easily open up’ characters.
It may therefore require immense amount of coxing, goading and pleading before they really reveal
their real‐selves. Delving deep down their psyche and extract out the relevant material for writing
requires a huge amount of diligence. The process of conversion of truths recorded in private memory
(at times very inconvenient truths) to be ready for public memory (not so inconvenient, perhaps!)
also requires a very deft and delicate handling of ‘facts of lives’.
6.1 Interviewing skills and protocols – Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story
behind a participant’s experiences (McNamara 1999). It’s desirable to do some homework as a good
interview can generate lot of good information. The interviews would normally focus on past
experiences, views, attitudes, perceptions, and perceived reasoning about past actions or inactions.
In order to collect rich, valid and reliable information, the interviewer needs to structure (albeit
loosely) and steer it. Clarity, recall and interpretation are other basic prerequisites for an interviewer.
The major challenge lies in understanding the meaning out of what interviewee says – sifting grains
from chaff. The use of technology could be resorted to if it is agreed upon by the interviewee.
6.2 Understanding silences – The ‘sound of silence’ could often pose a major challenge in the
process of understanding the women and has to be dealt with care. ‘The dog that didn’t bark’
(Sherlock Holmes approach) could very often give vital clues in revealing the reality. What do the
long pauses mean? How to interpret them? Do they mean disinterest in you or do they mean distress
and duress the interviewee is going through? A wrong assumption or an unwarranted interference
could make the whole thing boomerang.
6.3 Researchers’ own cognitive predilections – To be truthful and honest and not to be trapped
in one’s own biases and predilections, is a researcher’s major dilemma in such cases. Holding a
perspective is important and is unavoidable perhaps, but being reflexive about it helps. Of course,
the writer and the researcher with his values and belief system has to be at the centre of the
process of knowing. The fact is that for these kinds of complex subjects, ‘every part of any research
process is influenced by and filtered through the researchers’ own cognitive predilections (Denzin
and Linkoln 2011). The most adverse effect of it could be the erosion of faith of the reader.
6.4. Interpreting interpretations – We all have our own personal universe, with our own way of
looking and interpreting reality. At times one may find it difficult to grasp that there is reality beyond
one’s own experiences too. The situation may be the same but our interpretation of situations may
vastly vary. The challenge for a writer lies in interpreting the interpretation of the protagonist or
other characters while segregating all that may distort the reality. The distorted perception,
imagination, delusions not only of the interviewee but also of interviewer may pose some very
daunting challenges. Our interpretations of reality are often driven by our beliefs, values and
attitudes which colour or distort our perception and make us judgemental. ‘Show it, not say it,’ can
do the trick for a writer.
But ‘from a theoretical and philosophical perspective, the notion of being able ‘to observe and
document one’s true objective reality is a dubious concept, particularly for social and behavioural
phenomena, which are extremely complex, dynamic, and unbounded entities’(Denzin and Linkoln
2011)
7. A writer’s dilemmas