The Frontiers of « Near » and « Far »
New parameters of contemporary anthropology tend to make distinctions between the notions of « near » and « far » increasingly hazy. Based on field research involving mixed couples in Morocco, this text is a reflection on the movements of this frontier. It specifically examines three particular aspects of my Ph.D. research : my immigrant-researcher status which, by making the exotic land of my field research a second home, blurs the classical boundaries of anthropology ; the methodological choice of doing anthropology so close to my own experience, since this choice raises questions about my researcher status and forces me to look at the notion of shared experience ; and, finally, the production of scientific knowledge on a topic involving me personally. Such proximity with my research subject has inspired reflection on the notions of commitment and detachment, as well as on the role of the researcher’s biography in the development of theory.