Shock and offence online: the role of emotion in participant absent research

Purpose - This chapter considers the implications of online participant absent research, that is where the researcher has no interaction with the author, on researcher emotion. Drawing on a study of data extracts ‘mined’ from the Internet without interaction with the author, lessons for practice are identified. It is argued that researchers should reflexively consider the ways in which passive data collection techniques may impact the researcher prior to undertaking research, in order to ensure that researchers are adequately supported. Methodology/approach –The data described in this example were constructed around a single case study where a woman had been asked to leave a sports shop in the UK because she was breastfeeding. Not allowing breastfeeding within a business is illegal in the UK, and resulted in a protest. The study involved analysis of user-generated data from an online news site and Twitter in relation to this case. Findings - Drawing on field notes and conversations with colleagues, I argue that in order to successfully manage my emotional response to the data, it was necessary to distance myself during analysis. Originality/value – Whilst the role of emotion is often considered as part of ethnographic practice in studies utilising face-to-face data collection, it is underexplored in the online domain. This chapter presents, through a detailed example, a reflective account of the emotion work required in one such study. Strategies to reflexively manage emotion for those undertaking participant absent research, which are applicable to both online and off-line situations, are highlighted