Harming by Interviewing? Methodological and Ethical Dilemmas of In-Depth Interviews With People on the Move

Abstract

In this text, we explore the methodological and ethical dilemmas that arise when conducting in-depth or biographical interviews with people on the move—refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants seeking legal status in the EU. We argue that by interviewing research participants we make them relive traumatic experiences may inadvertently place a heavy emotional and psychological burden on them. Conducting in-depth interviews with individuals who are often survivors of violence, prolonged confinement and other forms of abuse—particularly amid legal and existential uncertainty—can exacerbate mental strain and stress, making this a potentially harmful research practice. Additionally, the need to safeguard interviewees' security and improve their chances of obtaining residence permits may affect the quality of the data collected. We call for a re-evaluation of research methods used to gather information from people on the move. This study is grounded in ethnographic research conducted along the EU's external borders.