Abstract

Irregular migration is increasingly the subject of qualitative sociological research. The vulnerability of undocumented migrants is often underscored in these studies. The study of vulnerability goes hand in hand with an ethical approach that encourages researchers to do undocumented migrants no harm due to their participation in scientific research. In this article I argue in contrast that the agency of the undocumented should be placed at the center of an ethical perspective towards qualitative studies on irregular migration. Such a perspective requires special attention to measures that can (re)negotiate the power differential between the researcher and the undocumented community. I therefore argue for the importance of active community participation, increased sensitivity around the representation of life stories and the need for public intervention. These aspects are illustrated by my experiences with fieldwork performed in the context of a comparative ethnographic study of undocumented activists in the United States and Belgium.

How to Cite:

Swerts, T., (2016) “Van kwetsbaarheid naar agency: een ethisch perspectief op etnografisch onderzoek naar mensen zonder papieren”, Sociologos 37(1), 7–19. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/sociologos.86901