A practical and theoretical guide for field researchers facing access challenges, this work addresses the common issue of resistance encountered when entering a community. Researchers often find themselves viewed as outsiders, leading to obstructions and hidden evidence. Community members may suppress complaints, silence dissent, and even deny their own history. Yet, this resistance can reveal critical insights. Michel Anteby illustrates how participants inadvertently disclose valuable information through their resistance. Drawing from diverse examples—ranging from Nazi rocket scientists to Disney union busters—he explores how such resistance manifests and how researchers can learn from it. Anteby posits that many forms of resistance are not merely obstacles but rather significant data points that provide insight into how participants understand their realities. This guide is essential for ethnographers, sociologists, and all field researchers seeking access, offering practical and theoretical insights into the unexpected value of encountering resistance. It emphasizes that the challenges faced in the field can lead to deeper understanding and richer data, turning the experience of having the door slammed in one's face into an opportunity for discovery.
