An insider looking in or an outsider wannabee? Studying vulnerable hard-to-reach populations in the field of victimology – the example of the Roma communities in Sweden
| Published date | 01 September 2021 |
| Author | Simon Wallengren |
| DOI | 10.1177/0269758020950596 |
| Date | 01 September 2021 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
An insider looking in or an
outsider wannabee? Studying
vulnerable hard-to-reach
populations in the field of
victimology – the example of
the Roma communities in Sweden
Simon Wallengren
Malmo University, Sweden
Abstract
This article reviews methodological barriers to victimological research on vulnerable hard-to-
reach populations and presents a reflexive discussion of insider and outsider positions in a
study researching Roma communities’ victimization in Sweden. As a Roma (Traveler/resande)
academic, I found that some aspects of my identity were linked to an insider position, while other
aspects of my identity were often perceived by study participants as outsider attributes. Within the
framework of critical reflexivity, this article considers the impact of my insider/outsider position at
each stage of the research process. The article rearticulates the importance of researcher
reflexivity, mainly when both researchers and participants exhibit multiculturality, which has
become more common in the globalized world.
Keywords
Hard-to-reach populations, insider/outsider, mixed methods, critical reflexivity, Roma, Traveler
(resande), victimization
Introduction
The world is getting more diverse. Post-war Sweden, in particular, has been a country character-
ized by increasing ethnic diversity. Since 1980 and onwards, the dominant immigration category
has also changed from European labor migrants to asylum migration and family reunifications
Corresponding author:
Simon Wallengren, Malmo
¨universitet, 205 06 Malmo
¨, Sweden.
Email: simon.wallengren@mau.se
International Review of Victimology
2021, Vol. 27(3) 328–343
ªThe Author(s) 2020
Article reuse guidelines:
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DOI: 10.1177/0269758020950596
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from ethnic groups outside Europe. Currently, approximately 23.5%of the Swedish population are
first- and/or second-generation immigrants (Central Bureau of Statistics [SBC], 2020). In such a
society, researchers must be equipped to access populations that vary along many social dimen-
sions, including social class and ethnicity, and who have different historical trajectories and
experiences, such as different migration processes, or have a background among historically
marginalized minority populations. This article will focus on the study of such vulnerable hard-
to-reach populations in relation to victimization research.
We can define a vulnerable or hard-to-reach population as a community of people who tradi-
tionally, and for various reasons, have been underserved by research, are exposed to more (or more
severe forms of) victimization and who, due to their vulnerability, are less able to cope with, resist
and recover from the impacts of victimization.
1
Another characteristic that distinguishes such
groups from non-vulnerable populations is that they are often marginalized, lack social and human
capital, and are easy to ignore in the political debate. Gathering information on victimization
patterns is essential so that prevention strategies and victim-supportive initiatives can be targeted
adequately (Pfeffer and Cuveas, 2016). The examination of vulnerable hard-to-reach populations
may also offer an essential contribution to the development of theory. Studies which re-test
theories on underserved populations enable us to learn about the differences between groups and
cultural contexts, thus giving us a more in-depth insight into the causes of social problems such as
victimization. Finally, the resear ch production may have a positive effec t on the relationship
between the majority society and the specific vulnerable population. To produce research that
highlights different vulnerable populations’ suffering gives the majority society an insight into the
suffering of the vulnerable community, sends a signal to the vulnerable co mmunity that they
deserve to be protected, and can be used for empowering the said community. It is therefore
regrettable to note that empirical studies of vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations are still
uncommon in social science, including victimology. The reason for this is partly that the interest
in studying vulnerable populations is relatively new, but also that there are several hard-to-
overcome methodological barriers related to the study of these populations. Therefore, we must
always strive to develop our research methodologies to improve the identification and recruitment
of such vulnerable hard-to-reach populations.
This paper is divided into two parts. Th e first part will review methodologic al barriers to
victimological empirical research on vulnerable hard-to-reach populations and highlight promising
strategies for accessing such groups. In the paper’s second part, within the framework of critical
reflexivity, I will draw on and reflect on my own experiences as a Roma (Traveler/resande)
academic conducting a victimization study on individuals who belong to the Roma communities
in Sweden. The hope is that this paper will give practical guidelines to researchers who are
interested in studying vulnerable hard-to-reach populations, particularly concerning victimization
research. I will start by providing an overview of the history of the Roma communities and Roma
research from a Swedish perspective.
A history of the Swedish Roma communities and Roma research
tradition
Linguistic analysis and DNA evidence attest that the ancestors of the Roma wandered out of
northern India in the 11th century; scholars suspect this was due to the displacements caused by
war. These ‘proto-Roma’ traveled from India into Persia, then Armenia, then Byzantium and
thereafter spread, during different phases, through the European continent; during this time
Wallengren 329
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