Personal Relationships and Social Change: The `Realpolitik' of Cross-Cultural Research in Transient Cultures

Abstract

This paper describes a programme of research conducted over the past few years in Eastern Europe, investigating the impacts of social and political change on personal relationships. I begin by providing the theoretical rationale for this work, describing some of the key theoretical and methodological issues we confronted, including the definition of `change', the selection of cultures and samples, and the use of multiple methodologies. I then turn to what I term the `realpolitik' of conducting such work, identifying some of the problems we faced in obtaining funding, selecting a sample and motivating respondents, as well as considering the potential impacts of such research on both the research team and our respondents. In doing so, I not only identify some of the pitfalls involved in doing research into changing cultures and some ways to avoid these, but also convey some of the real insights and excitement that such research can generate.