Chaim Noy's article "Sampling Knowledge: The Hermeneutics of Snowball Sampling in Qualitative Research" explores the critical and nuanced role of snowball sampling in qualitative research. The article argues that snowball sampling, often overlooked in favor of more technical or positivist methods, can generate unique types of social knowledge—knowledge that is emergent, political, and interactional. Noy draws on constructivist and feminist hermeneutics to suggest that snowball sampling, when critically examined, can reveal interrelations between sampling and interviewing that contribute to a deeper understanding of social networks and power dynamics. The article is based on two research projects: one on backpacker tourists and another on marginalized male drivers in Jerusalem. In both studies, snowball sampling was used to access and document social networks and dynamics. Noy highlights the dynamic and accumulative nature of snowball sampling, where informants refer researchers to others, creating a "snowball" effect. This method allows for the exploration of social capital, power relations, and the fluidity of social interactions. Noy also discusses the interrelations between snowball sampling and in-depth interviewing, emphasizing that these processes are mutually dependent and complementary. He argues that the quality of the referring process is related to the quality of the interaction, and that the interview encounter is a complex interaction where both researcher and informants have different perceptions and frames of reference. The article concludes by advocating for a holistic and integrative approach to qualitative research, where the researcher's role and the dynamics of social networks are fully acknowledged and understood.Chaim Noy's article "Sampling Knowledge: The Hermeneutics of Snowball Sampling in Qualitative Research" explores the critical and nuanced role of snowball sampling in qualitative research. The article argues that snowball sampling, often overlooked in favor of more technical or positivist methods, can generate unique types of social knowledge—knowledge that is emergent, political, and interactional. Noy draws on constructivist and feminist hermeneutics to suggest that snowball sampling, when critically examined, can reveal interrelations between sampling and interviewing that contribute to a deeper understanding of social networks and power dynamics. The article is based on two research projects: one on backpacker tourists and another on marginalized male drivers in Jerusalem. In both studies, snowball sampling was used to access and document social networks and dynamics. Noy highlights the dynamic and accumulative nature of snowball sampling, where informants refer researchers to others, creating a "snowball" effect. This method allows for the exploration of social capital, power relations, and the fluidity of social interactions. Noy also discusses the interrelations between snowball sampling and in-depth interviewing, emphasizing that these processes are mutually dependent and complementary. He argues that the quality of the referring process is related to the quality of the interaction, and that the interview encounter is a complex interaction where both researcher and informants have different perceptions and frames of reference. The article concludes by advocating for a holistic and integrative approach to qualitative research, where the researcher's role and the dynamics of social networks are fully acknowledged and understood.