Sample of Interview Questions

Introduction

Home

Beauty

Media Representations

Life in the Banlieues

From Our View

Jovonne's In-Depth Analyses

Melissa's Personal Observations

Acknowledgements

Original Proposal

Sample of Interview Questions

Questions in Preparation for the meeting with the football club on  14 June 2001

1. Names and ages

2. What do they want to do when they get older?

3. What do they like to watch on TV? Music?

4. Who are your role models – who do you want to be like?

5. Think about the people you go to school with? Are they mostly white, black, Arab … specific countries?

6. Think about your group of friends (if 2 groups) à What are they at home and at school?

7. Do you think that you get treated any different (at school perhaps?) because you (fill in the blank)?  If so, why?

8. Earlier question, what do your parents do?

9. When you watch TV, do you see a lot of blacks there? If no, why do you think this is?

10. What do most of the Black people you know do for a living?  Why?

11. Do you think it’s different being Black in Paris/France than it is being white, Arab, Chinese, etc? How? Why?

12. Do you think there are problems/tensions/issues with race in Paris?  What are they?  How do they effect you?

Music sessions I

General

1. What kind of music do you listen to?

Why? (family, friends)

When, Where

2. Do you listen to music for the music or for the lyrics? (Does it depend on the kind of music, if so explain?
3. What kinds of lyrics stand out/are important/memorable?
4. How do you think music relates to culture/race?

 Session I Urban/Ghetto Life

1. From the American songs, what’s the impression you get of life in the ghetto?
2. Do you get this impression from other sources (i.e. TV shows, movies, news, etc.)?
3. Is this the same feeling impression that you have of your lives or lives in the banlieues in general? How is it the same or different?
4. Do you think the situation is worse or better here or in the US?  Or maybe different?
5. Are there French songs/lyrics that you think describe well life in the banlieues? Or that don’t describe it well?  Explain how.
6. Are there things that go on in the banlieues that don’t seem to be talked about in songs?
7. What kind of impression do you think these songs (US or French) give the white majority of minorities/your life here?
8. Do you feel comfortable with the kind of impression that you think is being given?  Why or why not?