RT Article
T1 Doing research with police elites in Ghana
JF Criminology & criminal justice
VO 19
IS 5
SP 537
OP 553
A1 Sowatey, Emmanuel Addo
A2 Tankebe, Justice
LA English
YR 2019
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/174168580X
AB Much of our methodological insights from researching policing in sub-Saharan Africa comes from studies of frontline officers. Consequently, many important methodological questions about research on senior police officers remain unanswered. This article addresses this gap by drawing on insights from interviewing senior officers in Ghana. It focuses on the challenges and opportunities in negotiating access, establishing trust during interviews and dealing with ethical dilemmas. We highlight the role of informal social networks and cultural practices of surprise visits, what we have termed strategic ambush, in securing formal approval for our research. However, this represented mere or putative access for which deference towards institutional gatekeepers was key to its actualization. Deference towards officers and extensive knowledge of the policing environment helped to put the senior officers at ease, and enhanced the chances of a successful interview. Finally, we offer reflections on our responses to unexpected ethical dilemmas that we faced in the field.
K1 Deference
K1 Ghana police
K1 Intruding outsiders
K1 Police elites
K1 Strategic ambush
DO 10.1177/1748895818787022