Behind the emic lines: Ethics and politics of insiders' ethnography

In this chapter, I discuss the ethical and political dilemmas encountered in the field while conducting a multi-sited ethnography on the effects of politically motivated violence on the communities in and from the former Yugoslavia. Much of the fieldwork discussed here relates to my research among the survivors of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia-Herzegovina and their compatriots, Bosnian refugees and migrants, in diaspora. I also go on to describe my experiences in the ethnically divided Albanian and Serbian communities in Kosovo. In the majority of situations, being a cultural insider, someone who was born and grew up in Yugoslavia- speaking relevant languages and having knowledge of shared cultural codes, norms and histories- was an advantage in understanding the issues, gaining access to prospective participants and establishing relationships with the research cohorts. Being seen and accepted as an insider provided me with access to information that might have been off limits to outside researchers. However, the insider/outsider status proved to be very fluid, at times complicating my role as a researcher and even becoming a source of potential risk. While those who saw me as an insider expected understanding and sympathies for their political cause, there were times when my political alignment and loyalty were questioned when identified, or perceived, as the 'ethnic other'. By critically reflecting on some of these situations and changing roles and perceptions, I'd like to raise awareness of the issues the insider ethnographer faces in the field and, ultimately, to contribute to a deeper understanding of research involving co-ethnic and cross-ethnic ethnography in communities after violence and forced migration.