Exists without defamation of insular folk (9)
I believe the answer is:
islanders
'exists without defamation of insular folk' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this defines the answer.
'exists without defamation' is the wordplay.
'exists' becomes 'is' (if something 'is', it exists).
'without' is an insertion indicator ('without' can be similar in meaning to 'outside').
'defamation' becomes 'slander' (synonyms).
'is' going around 'slander' is 'ISLANDERS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for islanders that I've seen before include "Snares lid (anag.)" , "people living in detached territories" .)