local protagonists, offer more in-depth insights into traditionally margin-
alized and frequently misrepresented social groups, whilst also generating
knowledge that may facilitate beneficial social changes for local
communities.
Keywords:Qualitative research; methods; ethics; politics; conflict
zones; Israel/PalestineINTRODUCTION
In 2008 I started a new research project. I had received funding from
the Fulbright Foundation to investigate the social consequences of the
Separation Wall on Israelis and Palestinians and was to spend a semester in
IsraelPalestine. I was looking forward to a new project, yet I was
frequently taken aback by people’s reactions once they heard of my
assignment to Israel and the Palestinian Territories. These ranged from
“oh...ni.c.e,” “be careful,” to “I am Jewish and I’d love to go to Israel,
but it is too dangerous!”; and one of the more disturbing remarks was:
“I just missed that bus in 2002 to the South of Israel that was blown up by
a terrorist bomb.” Those sorts of comments started to weigh on me. They
did so even more after my first pre-departure security briefing in
Washington, where Fulbrighters to the Middle East were told how to leap
under tables in case of a shoot-out. There, even a fellow Fulbrighter looked
at me in despair, once I told him my country of destination, and said: “why
would someone like you want to gothere?” Media images and reports from
IsraelPalestine did also not lessen my ever growing unease. Images of
violence, terror attacks, and ideologically driven protagonistson both
sidesalso started to makemethink “yes...actually...why would I
want to go there?...I do have children after all!”
Anyway the die was cast and I was heading off to an unknown part of
the world a novice to the area although with an expertise in
Separation Walls. Once in Tel Aviv, however, I realized quickly what all
visitors to the region realize, that life actually is quite normal. This was at
least so in the “the Tel Aviv bubble,” a favored nickname for the city that
never sleeps and seems far removed from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
where the coffee is outstanding, the fresh-orange juice to die for, and taxi
drivers always ready to rip off foreigners. I rapidly adjusted to life in Israel,
and despite stories in the media about the dangers of living in Israel, as
20 CHRISTINE LEUENBERGER