Navigating emotions in sensitive research with LGBTIQ+ individuals from a migration background

This article explores the emotions elicited during sensitive research and the strategies researchers use to manage them within a research team. Drawing on field notes from an ongoing study on the discrimination faced by LGBTIQ+ individuals with a migration background, we first demonstrate that emotions are deeply intertwined with each researcher's positionality, which in turn shapes the research process. Emotions may help researchers adjust their approach to participants, creating more meaningful connections. Second, we identify five main strategies developed by the research team to cope with intense emotional experiences before, during, and after the interviews. In conclusion, we argue that engaging with emotions in the field as methodological and analytical resources allows for a more nuanced understanding of social reality and strengthens the reflexive process.