Gaining access is a critical part of doing research, not only because one must get in in order to gain information but also because the quality of access affects what information is available to the researcher. Despite the importance of getting in, the literature on qualitative methods has not yet provided an extended treatment of the issues surrounding access. This book fills this void by offering useful, prescriptive advice on how to gain access in the field. The methodological guidelines are reinforced in a diverse collection of stories written by expert contributors from various disciplinary backgrounds. The case studies involve a wide variety of settings, from working with Bosnian ethnic minorities, to American sex workers, prisons, welfare offices and the clergy. Collectively they provide examples of how researchers can work with individual, organisational, and institutional contexts, and illuminates the process for gaining access for interviewing, observation, and participation. As an ideal guide through the practical and conceptual complexities of gaining access in fieldwork, this will be of value both to experienced researchers as well as those conducting their first s