Is There a White Researcher Complex in Migration Research?

The white saviour complex can be seen as a manifestation of systemic racism, perpetuating the idea that racialised people are helpless and require white saviours to rescue them. Starting from this concept, we seek to address two key aspects: (1) our position as white European researchers in the field of migration studies; and (2) how the research process has contributed to framing 'the others' - in this case, migrants and their descendants - as vulnerable, discriminated against, and oppressed people, almost as if they were passive victims in need of rescue. In light of these considerations, we introduce the term 'White Researcher Complex' to describe the specific research context in which, as white researchers engaged in migration studies, we navigate.

These reflections can be extended to the broader concept of whiteness, historically constructed as an invisible and hegemonic racial norm permeating society, institutions, social relations, and even academic knowledge production. Thus, in this paper, we explore the interconnected concepts of the white researcher complex and whiteness, focusing on the underlying power relations between researchers and participants. We consider how these dynamics manifest both in fieldwork and in the knowledge production process.

Drawing from our own experiences, along with challenges related to our positionality, as well as anecdotes from our fieldworks, we critically examine academic categorisations and research practices that perpetuate asymmetrical relationships. We offer this reflexive perspective as a critical tool for unveiling power imbalances and striving to move beyond white saviourism within the field of migration.