SeRGJ and PGR research methods seminar on vicarious trauma
WHEN: the 4th March between 11-1 pm
WHERE: PGR common room in Eliot near the study area on level 4.
Online: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/39722947199650?p=3Tk1s3YwqtmWL8P9SX
In this session we will be discussing emotional labour and vicarious trauma:
Vicarious trauma and emotional labour are increasingly recognized as critical concerns in professions that involve sustained empathetic engagement, such as healthcare, social work, and research. Vicarious trauma refers to the psychological impact experienced by individuals who are repeatedly exposed to others’ traumatic narratives, often leading to symptoms akin to post-traumatic stress disorder, including emotional exhaustion, intrusive thoughts, and a diminished sense of empathy. Emotional labour involves the regulation and performance of emotions to meet professional expectations, which can compound the effects of vicarious trauma when people must suppress their own distress while supporting others. Together, these phenomena underscore the need for trauma-informed practices and institutional support systems that prioritize psychological safety and resilience. Without such measures, the cumulative toll of emotional exposure can impair professional efficacy and contribute to burnout, making their recognition and management essential for sustainable and ethical practice.
|
Before the event, you can listen to these podcasts: https://frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/emotional-labour-in-fieldwork/#continue https://lockedupliving.podbean.com/e/shona-minson-talks-about-the/
|
More resources:
Shona Minson: https://lockedupliving.podbean.com/e/shona-minson-talks-about-the/ (research with traumatised mothers and children)
Or more bespokely: Shona Minson and Marie Burton speaking with Linda Mulcahy about the topic:https://frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/emotional-labour-in-fieldwork/ (has some reading suggestions as well)
Other interviews from Frontiers of Socio-Legal Studies:
https://frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/making-and-unmaking-archival-methods/ (violence of the archives and affective impact)
https://frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/sticky-emotions-in-feminist-research/ (complexity of doing sexual violence research and emotional ‘stickyness’)
https://frontiers.csls.ox.ac.uk/vicarious-trauma-through-research/ (with Maureen Freed who does VT training with researchers at Oxford – invites us to ‘think peventatively’)
researching as an ‘insider’: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10691-022-09487-5