Emotions in the Frontline. Notes on Interpretive Research in Conflict Areas

Abstract

In line with the call for greater engagement with the affective and emotional dimensions of conducting research in conflict and post-conflict settings, this article addresses the methodological implications of incorporating emotionally sensed knowledge into the research process. It argues that emotions serve as fundamental heuristic keys for entering the field and acquiring situated knowledge. By reflecting upon practical challenges and ethical concerns encountered during field research in Iraq, the article aims to challenge disciplinary practices that promote emotional self-censorship and provide guidance to young researchers navigating the messy contingencies of fieldwork. The neglect of emotions in positivist approaches is examined in relation to the political economy of knowledge production, suggesting that prevailing emotional silence may lead to harmful research practices and threatens epistemological pluralism.