Abstract
Some scholars engaging in the insider/outsider debate have argued that the pairing of researcher and subjects based on racial similarity-i.e., "race matching"-is the most effective means for conducting qualitative research. Although insider/outsider status has been discussed with respect to white researchers' studies of African Americans, I explore the heretofore rarely discussed situation in which an African American is the researcher and whites are the subjects. I argue that insider status with respect to race continues to be based on a presumed connectedness linked to phenotypical characteristics-like skin color or hair texture. Yet, rather than experiencing a solely insider or outsider status, researchers and subjects experience what I call "insider moments" wherein their interests converge and they are able to share in the kinds of interactions that yield important insights. I conclude by evaluating the utility of insider/outsider status in qualitative research.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 117-136 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Qualitative Sociology |
Volume | 37 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2014 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Insider/outsider
- Race and qualitative research methodology
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Sociology and Political Science