Contextual Vulnerability of the Researcher: Reflections on Methodology

Qualitative research requires careful reflection on the researcher’s role throughout the research process, as it is shaped by the researcher’s interaction with the field, especially in comparison to quantitative research. However, there remains a need for greater exploration of how the qualitative research context shapes the researcher’s ability to navigate the field, experience fieldwork, interact with participants, and manage their emotional well-being. This article addresses three groups of factors affecting researcher vulnerability: first, factors related to the emotional response that the information obtained during the research evokes in the researcher; second, the situational context in which the researcher conducts their studies; and third, the attitude of the research institutions within which these studies are conducted towards the first two groups of factors. The most important factors discussed within the first group are those related to vicarious or secondary trauma experienced by the researcher. Within the second group, phenomena belonging to the general category of vulnerable research will be discussed - both traditional field studies and studies conducted in the online space. In the third group, the actions of research institutions that should take place to prevent or reduce the difficulties discussed in the first two groups of factors will be examined.