Interviewing reluctant respondents: Strikes, henchmen, and gaelic games

This article deals with interviewing reluctant respondents. The analysis is used to construct a process-oriented model of respondent rapport and empathy. By assessing respondent rapport in a reflective way, the article contributes to the sociology of knowledge generation and the construction of respondent reality of complex social phenomena. Using the authors' reflective experiences of a particular interview episode, the stages of rapport building in the researcher-respondent relationship are assessed, providing guidance and lessons for future researchers. The limitations of the approach are considered and suggestions for future research are made.