Studying power: qualitative methods and the global elite

Abstract

The qualitative study of global elites is a challenging task and in this article we demonstrate that the difficulties of elite research can be handled in a more transparent and productive manner by engaging feminist methodologies. Drawing on one author’s recent experiences in the field interviewing well-placed actors involved with the dispute settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organization, we argue that feminist methodologies allow the successful navigation of the authority relationship in the process of studying elites. Critical examination of researcher positionality and the micropolitics of the research encounter leads to a reconceptualization of the concept of ‘studying up’ as it obscures the complexities of the power relationships in both research and social life. We conclude with a call for deeper qualitative attention to global elites that is informed by feminist methodologies.