Conducting research among smuggled migrants in the Netherlands and Austria: methodological reflections

Abstract

Qualitative research among smuggled migrants raises methodological as well as ethical questions. In this article the implications of field work among this specific group of people are thoroughly discussed. Also migrants who have been smuggled have a past, a travel experience and some have a confrontation with immigration officers which can have a concrete impact on the story provided to the researcher and as such on the data collection. Besides, once the story is told, the researcher is responsable for how best to deal with this often secret information.

Keywords

• Inmigración irregular
• Cruce ilegal de fronteras
• Método de historias de vida
• Asilo y refugio