ABSTRACT
The process of researching South Asian communities, as a white English female, posed significant methodological and ethical issues. 1 The study took the British Midland city of Leicester as a local case study to explore the processes of, and responses to, the migration and settlement of South Asian migrants since 1950. My identity and social location, such as my ethnicity, age and gender, undoubtedly shaped the research process and posed numerous challenges and ethical problems. While ethical concerns have long been debated within the fields of sociology and anthropology, historians have been accused of overlooking these issues. 2 This chapter attempts to rectify this by reflecting on some of the most salient concerns. Was my ethnic identity a barrier to establishing trust and rapport? Were other aspects of my identity important? Were the respondents more willing to discuss particular issues? What were the dilemmas involved in representing and theorising sensitive experiences? It is argued that reflecting on the role of the researcher should not simply be dismissed as navel gazing but that it has fundamental implications for the interpretation of the narratives.
