I think the academics are well aware of that - but the alternative is to never study groups in this way. Also consider that such people are typically integrate

I think the academics are well aware of that - but the alternative is to never study groups in this way. Also consider that such people are typically integrated with the community they are studying for months, even close to a year. We are certainly different when observed, but we also get used to a new presence, eventually consider them "one of us", and will resume (mostly) normal behavior. They're not technically academic works, but I consider David Simon's books "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets" and "The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood" (co-written with Edward Burns) to be in the category of such studies. The first book was the inspiration of the television series of the same name, and both were inspiration for The Wire. "The Corner", by the way, is one of the most emotionally devastating books I've read, and I tend to pick very unhappy topics.