ABSTRACT
When conducting research into higher education internationalisation, one is imbued in issues of positionality. A very common position in educational research is the insider positionality. An insider can be defined as somebody who is attached to or involved in the organisation or its social groups prior to commencing the study. In this chapter, however, we argue that this definition does not capture the dynamic aspect of the insider position. Importantly, positionality is negotiated and can shift in research situations with international students, for example, in an interview situation. We draw on our own empirical examples to illustrate how positionality is at stake in research with international students. We recommend critically reflecting on positionality during all phases of the research process, from planning to constructing the empirical material, and finally to the analysis and writing phases. Critically reflecting means noticing what happens during each phase, how we use our positionalities and how this influences the outcome of the research.
