13th October 2023

Insider or Outsider?

Preechaya Osathanonth ⋅ 13th October 2023

from Tuesday class 10/10/2023

Are you an insider or an outsider in your research?

At first, I felt like I was an insider because I worked very closely with my participants, and I used to work in this industry, too, but when I read this chapter of the book, I realised that I am an outsider. I’m not them, and they will feel that I am not one of their group; I am also a researcher, so they will feel that I observe them and collect their information.

What is positive about your position as an insider/outsider?

The positive side of being an outsider is observing their behaviour and seeing the big picture. I can ask participants for useful data for my research, and they will help me because it’s for research purposes.

What is negative about your position as an insider/outsider?

The negative side is that sometimes it makes me feel guilty about asking them the questions, and it is hard to separate my feelings because this is for research purposes, and I can’t have bias about all of this. I will try to understand and empathise with someone I didn’t know before.

What responsibility do you have to the communities you are working with as an insider/outsider?

I don’t leave them with an open wound. If I ask them questions or want them to do something risky for them, like mental health or well-being, I need to plan to help them get through the things they have. I work closely with the therapist and will provide them with self-care that would be helpful in the first step.

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