Foundations of Asking

Asking people questions rests at the heart of pragmatic fieldwork. In the context of social justice work, it is all too common to assume what the other needs. By simply asking people what they need, the dynamics of philanthropic paternalism can be inverted. SUFK has a tradition of saying, “If StandUp For Kids could do one thing for you today, what would it be?” 

In addition to guiding organizing practices, asking is at the root of data generation. Of course, interviews are a mainstay of qualitative research (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2008). Also, Dewey’s (1939) creative democracy relies on using past experience to order conditions to improve future experience. How exactly is one to get at past experience if not by asking about it?

Skill Development for Ask

Asking can be improved by developing empathy, learning interviewing techniques, fostering respect for alternate representations of the world, practicing active listening, and learning how to probe.