“Autoethnography Lets Us Explore What Other Methods Can’t”: An Interview With Dr. Tony Adams

Abstract

This interview with Dr. Tony Adams examines autoethnography as a vital, evolving method in adult education and human resource development. Positioned within the special issue Exploring the Depths of Self, the conversation moves beyond introductory discussions of the method to explore its ethical tensions, narrative craft, institutional politics, and commitments to justice and relational accountability. Adams reflects on his intellectual formation, mentorship under leading autoethnographers, and the formative life experiences that shaped his scholarly trajectory. Across the interview, Adams addresses persistent critiques of autoethnography, clarifies distinctions between evocative and analytic traditions, and emphasizes the importance of methodological integrity. He offers practical guidance on vulnerability, fictionalization, collaborative writing, and navigating publication in traditional academic venues. Drawing on examples from his own scholarship and editorial leadership, he highlights the risks and transformative potential of writing personal experience into public scholarship. Central to Adams’s perspective is the belief that autoethnography must be both ethically responsible and narratively compelling. He underscores storytelling as a methodological imperative, arguing that accessibility, thick description, and reflexivity are essential for autoethnography to generate social impact. The interview ultimately invites emerging and established scholars alike to approach autoethnography with courage, care, and craft.