The Position of Insider (Emic) and Outsider (Etic): A Review of Deborah Court and Randa Khair Abbas’ Insider-Outsider Research in Qualitative Inquiry: New Perspectives on Method and Meaning

Abstract

In their book, Insider-Outsider Research in Qualitative Inquiry: New Perspectives on Method and Meaning by Deborah Court and Randa Khair Abbas, they deconstruct the outdated or puzzling terminology associated with this type of research, examine ethical challenges, and recommend methodological approaches. This book also situates qualitative insider-outsider research, by its very nature, within the larger research ecology. The authors describe in full a researcher partnership—a relationship that is more personal and fruitful than a team and significantly more than the sum of its parts. Through their nearly two-decade-long research collaboration and study of the Israeli Druze, the authors have established mutual trust, which has led to a deeper understanding of cultural norms and the meanings they convey. Examples from their research with Israeli Druze will be used to illustrate this argument and their methodology. This book will be of interest to ethnographers, qualitative researchers, and graduate students of all experience levels.