"Something decent to wear": performances of being an insider and an outsider in Indigenous research

• Published in: Qualitative Inquiry
• Main Author: Blix, Bodil Hansen
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: indigenous research; narrative; performance; interview; context; sami; urforlksforskning; urfolksmetodologi; narrativ; performative perspektiv; intervju; samisk; same
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11250/2444965; https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800414542702

Vitenskapelig artikkel som problematiserer det å være innsider eller utsider i urfolksforskning. The point of departure for this article is the commitment in Indigenous research to reflect Indigenous contexts and worldviews. Based on an analysis of a story from my own research, I argue that Indigenous contexts (rather than being things-unto-themselves that pre-exist description) are complex constructions comprised of social structures, historical events, and cultural meta-narratives that are rendered relevant in local interview contexts by both the interviewees and the interviewers. Such contexts are relevant for the interviewers' performances as insiders and outsiders in interview situations. I argue that as a consequence of applying a performance perspective to Indigenous research, one must accept that the complex question regarding insiderness and outsiderness cannot be finalized. Rather, the researcher's identities are performed continuously in every interview situation. NFR