An Interview with Adrian Holliday on Mixed-Methods Research

The purpose of this interview was to present his critical and ideological perspective on mixed-methods research within applied linguistics and English language education. The interview aimed to clarify misunderstandings surrounding mixed methods research, explore ideological, epistemological, and ethical concerns; situate mixed methods within broader debates on culture, power, and qualitative inquiry; and offer readers a principled critical voice that are often absent in methodological discussions. This interview offers a critical, reflective perspective on mixed methods research (MMR) from the standpoint of a scholar known for his work in intercultural communication, qualitative inquiry, and the politics of English language education. Drawing on his long intellectual trajectory across sociology, culture, and ideology, Holliday discusses how methodological choices are never purely technical but are embedded in epistemological and political assumptions. He articulates his ideological concerns about MMR, questioning how claims of methodological pluralism may, at times, mask underlying positivist or managerial logics, and how dominant research paradigms can shape what is recognized as legitimate knowledge in applied linguistics. The conversation also explores issues of culture, power, and representation in global English language teaching, and the ethical commitments of qualitative research. Rather than positioning MMR as inherently problematic, Holliday invites deeper dialogue about misunderstandings, boundaries, and the need for reflexivity in research practice. This interview contributes a principled critical voice to methodological debates and encourages researchers to engage more thoughtfully with the ideological dimensions of research design and knowledge production.