Researcher Emotions and Positionality in Ethnographic Research: Reflections From Research in Primary Schools

This article explores mundane emotion-work in ethnographic research and its impact on researcher positionality. I show how the strained institutional context of a school can have emotional impacts on the researcher, leading to strains in positionality and emotional labour and management. I consider how school staff can facilitate research or create barriers in several ways. Whilst ethnographic research can be rewarding, it is not always enjoyable and can be emotionally draining.