Qualitative Methods for Research on a Hard-to-Reach and Vulnerable Population in Burma

Abstract This article examines the qualitative research methods employed to conduct fieldwork on a hard-to-reach and vulnerable population in Burma between June 2017 and December 2019. The study focuses on interviewing democracy activists, many of whom were former political prisoners, to investigate the motivations of “first movers”—individuals who initiate high-risk dissent in authoritarian regimes without the safety of numbers or the guarantee of support. The study employed a narrative-driven grounded theory approach to explore the question: In the high-risk environment of authoritarian regimes, why do some people dissent while others do not? While the substantive findings and theory will be discussed in a forthcoming publication, this article focuses on the research design encompassing data collection strategies, case selection, scope conditions, ethics, sampling methods (including a combination of purposive and snowball sampling), elicitation techniques, triangulation in qualitative analysis, and the critical importance of analytic reflexivity and researcher positionality. Key methodological decisions are synthesized into a qualitative research design checklist, providing a practical framework for scholars investigating similarly complex and sensitive topics. By sharing the challenges, strategies, and lessons learned, this article aims to contribute to the growing body of literature on qualitative methods for researching hard-to-reach populations and politically sensitive questions.