Being an Insider and the Feminist Method: Intersection of Migration and Autoethnography

In this study, I have attempted to explore the dynamic interplay between the researcher and the field, particularly when the researcher interacts with her/his community. I have discussed how the researcher’s perception of herself as an insider or outsider affects her fieldwork and the implications for both the research process and the researcher’s personal identity. My study also explores how the researcher experiences a sense of belonging and their position as either an insider or an outsider. Based on eight years of observations, site visits and fieldwork in various settings, this research explores how my personal experiences and changing attitudes affect the boundary between ‘home’ and the research field. I have also come to realize that conducting research with migrants involves the risk of disturbing or offending their memories, which places a significant responsibility on me as both a researcher and an ‘insider’. In this paper, by analyzing the impact of my ‘insider’ status on participant observation and direct interactions within the community, I have attempted to explore how autobiography and autoethnography intersect and shape the process and outcomes of fieldwork.