Researcher positionality: the Liquid Inbetweener

In this think piece, I make the case for a new conceptualisation of researcher positionality. Despite interrogating myriad depictions of insider/outsider positionings, finding one bespoke to my own needs as a researcher has been elusive. Consequently, dissatisfied with conclusions drawn from tired debates; I have carved out a new space. As part of an ongoing inquiry into headteachers’ active promotion of Fundamental British Values, in a rarely researched association of New Christian Schools (NCS), I have often felt trapped within my field, somewhere in between traditional notions of insider/outsider stances. However, as I have now embraced, rather than rejected, the duality of this status, I invite you to consider my proposition for a fresh interpretation of researcher positionality; that of the Liquid Inbetweener.