‘What is immediate and obvious feels real’: National identity and emotional vulnerabilities in the field

Abstract

This article provides a critical reflection on methodological issues at the interface of researcher national identity and emotional vulnerability. This aspect of social research is often neglected in discussions of positionality, primarily in relation to emotional risk in the field, and here we address this gap in the literature. Rather than reflecting on access and rapport, or issues related to the complexities of insider or outsider research, the national identity of the researcher is considered alongside emotional entanglements experienced in the field. The emotion work that is performed, and the emotional risks that are experienced by the researcher as a consequence of nationality reveal much about the complexities of identity and power relations in the field. The fieldwork informing this article was undertaken as part of an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-funded study (ES/N019423/1) that examined how seafarers from different ethnic and faith backgrounds interact with each other on board and how their religious/spiritual and welfare needs are addressed ashore.

Tales of the sea: Seafarers’ sense of place in the management of socialities and safety culture at sea

“…It was different though with other nationalities. While other nationalities welcomed my presence, there had also been instances of "rough sailing" on board (see, for instance, Turgo and Sampson, 2021). \…”