Some reflections on outsider and insider identities in ethnic and migrant qualitative research

Abstract

This article explores some of the methodological issues relating to outsider and insider identities in ethnic and migrant qualitative research. It draws upon two qualitative research studies that set out to examine older (55-75 years) migrant African Caribbean women’s experiences of health and ageing in the UK. An aim is to problematise the conceptualisation of insiderness and outsiderness as polarised and discrete, and provide some examples of how these identities might overlap and intersect. The article takes issue with the argument that it is both possible and desirable to ‘match’ the ethnic background of researcher and participant.