Gaining access to relevant stakeholders and documents was, as might be imagined in this high-pressured and politicised environment, often challenging. Potential interviewees were identified by various means depending on their role. For example, we gained permission from the UKBA to interview Case Owners and Presenting Officers (n=24) in each of the 4 geographical regions, where a designated team leader facilitated our access to interviewees. Similarly, the Senior President of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber gave permission for us to interview Immigration Judges (n=20), who were then identified with the help of a judicial contact in each regional tribunal centre. Other participants were recruited more directly. Interpreters (n=14) participated having answered an advertisement in the Institute of Linguists newsletter, having been recruited with the assistance of the Tribunals Service Interpreter division, or through personal contacts and snowball sampling. NGOs providing asylum support and advice (n=21) in each of the four areas were approached by letter or recruited through personal contacts. Meanwhile, legal representative respondents (n=25) were recruited on the basis of a letter that was sent to all legal practitioners engaging in asylum work in each geographical area. Interviews typically lasted between 60-90 minutes and, in most cases, were tape-recorded (with the permission of the participant). They were semi-structured in format to reflect the range of different stakeholders involved and to ensure an appropriate balance between flexibility and comparability across the
Gaining access to relevant stakeholders and documents was, as might be imagined in this high-pressured and politicised environment, often challenging. Potential interviewees were identified by various means depending on their role. For example, we gained permission from the UKBA to interview Case Owners and Presenting Officers (n=24) in each of the 4 geographical regions, where a designated team leader facilitated our access to interviewees. Similarly, the Senior President of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber gave permission for us to interview Immigration Judges (n=20), who were then identified with the help of a judicial contact in each regional tribunal centre. Other participants were recruited more directly. Interpreters (n=14) participated having answered an advertisement in the Institute of Linguists newsletter, having been recruited with the assistance of the Tribunals Service Interpreter division, or through personal contacts and snowball sampling. NGOs providing asylum support and advice (n=21) in each of the four areas were approached by letter or recruited through personal contacts. Meanwhile, legal representative respondents (n=25) were recruited on the basis of a letter that was sent to all legal practitioners engaging in asylum work in each geographical area. Interviews typically lasted between 60-90 minutes and, in most cases, were tape-recorded (with the permission of the participant). They were semi-structured in format to reflect the range of different stakeholders involved and to ensure an appropriate balance between flexibility and comparability across the
Reason%20to%20Disbelieve%20-%20IJLC%20FINAL%20SUBMITTED%2022%20OCTOBER%202013.docx