39 VARSTVO NARAVE, 25 (2011) 39—52 QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS IN HUMAN DIMENSIONS STUDIES ABOUT NATURE CONSERVATION KVALITATIVNO INTERVJUVANJE NA PODROČJU RAZISKOVANJA DRUŽBOSLOVNIH VIDIKOV NARAVOVARSTVA Gregor TORKAR, Barbara ZIMMERMANN, Tomas WILLEBRAND Pregledni znanstveni članek Prejeto/Received:17.1.2011 Sprejeto/Accepted:14.6.2011 Key words: research methods, qualitative interview, human dimensions, nature conservation Ključne besede: raziskovalne metode, kvalitativni intervju, družboslovni vidiki, ohranjanje narave ABSTRACT Nature conservation research is increasingly concerned with the human component as with the ecosystem or species in focus. Natural scientists that are loyal to their education tend to favour quantitative methods. These methods are not necessarily the only and most suitable tools in human dimensions studies. The aim of this article is to describe the importance of quantitative and qualitative research methods in human dimensions studies pertaining to nature conservation, particularly interviewing. Differences between structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviews are explained and examples given. Additionally, some guidelines for conducting a qualitative interview are presented. Research scientists working with human dimension studies should be aware that nature conservation is a complex cultural problem and that complexity and creativity should therefore be recognized when addressing research methodologies. IZVLEČEK V naravovarstvenih raziskavah dobiva vse večjo težo človeška komponenta problematike, v primeri z ekosistemsko ali vrstno. Naravoslovci, zvesti svojemu formalnemu izobraževanju, pogosto favorizirajo kvantitativne metode naravovarstvenega raziskovanja, ki pa niso nujno edino in najprimernejše orodje za preučevanje družboslovnih vidikov varstva narave. Namen članka je opisati pomen kvantitativnih in kvalitativnih metod raziskovanja družboslovnih vidikov varstva narave, še posebej pa pomen kvalitativnega intervjuja. Pojasnjene so razlike med strukturiranim, delno strukturiranim in nestrukturiranim intervjujem ter podani primeri njihove uporabe. Poleg tega so podane tudi smernice za opravljanje kvalitativnega intervjuja. Znanstveniki, ki se ukvarjajo z družboslovnimi vidiki varstva narave, se morajo zavedati, da je varstvo narave kompleksen kulturni problem. Pri uporabi raziskovalne metodologije je zato potrebna določena mera ustvarjalnosti in razumevanja kompleksnosti problematike. 1. INTRODUCTION Research scientists studying relationships between humans and wildlife or nature in general are often natural science researchers who realized that they cannot solve practical, usually very complex, conservation problems with the traditional natural science modes of thinking, measuring and reasoning. Researchers who publish papers in respected conservation