Publication
Title
Meelopen met de regievoerders : over de grenzen van participeren en observeren in terugkeertrajecten van ongedocumenteerde migranten
Author
Abstract
This paper deals with reflections on conducting participant observation among a group of migration officials in the Netherlands who are in charge of ensuring the voluntary and forced departure of undocumented migrants. In particular, I discuss the many difficulties associated with the ethnographer’s dual role of becoming both an insider, while still remaining a critical outsider. The essay first of all touches upon issues of how to (if at all) gain a value-free outlook of the lifeworld of highly politicized officials, especially if they seem to hold ideologies contradictory to your own. At the same time, the paper discusses the dangers of becoming an insider, particularly if this means losing sight of one’s critical viewpoint. I discuss some contentious moments during my fieldwork and analysis of data, which almost led me to going native. The paper argues for the importance of detachment from your informants and ends with some suggestions on how to deal with the aforementioned issues
Language
Dutch
Source (journal)
Kwalon : tijdschrift voor kwalitatief onderzoek in Nederland. - Amsterdam, 1996, currens
KWALON (Amsterdam. Online)
Publication
Amsterdam : 2020
ISSN
1385-1535 [Print]
1875-7324 [online]
Volume/pages
25 :1 (2020) , p. 10-15
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Record
Identifier
Creation 25.03.2020
Last edited 07.10.2022
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