The positioning in House for the Homeless seems to be a bit conflicted. Since Ivana volunteered at the shelter I feel she was at a disadvantage because she was not able to see everything from an outsider’s point of view. When she interacted with the workers of the shelter, they knew her or recognized her and/or her position at the shelter so it may have skewed their answers. Ivana was at an advantage with working at the shelter because she had the credibility of being helpful and a good person to the homeless that passed through the shelter so it is possible that they were more willing to open up to her since they recognized her.
Question: Do you think it is better or worse to be involved in your ethnographic site? Will it be more difficult or easier to get an outsider’s perspective and real responses if you are known at your site?
I don't if it is better or worse to be involved, but I do think it is easier to be objective and to get an outsider's perspective if you are not involved at your site. There are still benefits to being involved though, because it is easier to get interviews and you get more of the insider's perspective.
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