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Migration scholars face many ethical and emotional challenges when studying groups which are openly anti-immigrant. Issues of trust, empathy, legitimization, safety, reproduction of hate, and access can all arise (Garapich et al. 2024). Additionally, there are political and reputational risks inherent to studying such groups, both for individual researchers and institutions. While the Сŷ��Ƶ has special guidelines for studying Security-Sensitive Research, anti-immigration sentiments have been mainstreamed outside openly extremist organisations (for example, the Rwanda Plan under the previous Conservative government, and as seen in the race violence during the summer of 2024), with research finding that far right views have entered the mainstream of politics in recent years. This warrants discussion in terms of how to ethically approach research with far right and/or anti-immigrant actors within or outside of the mainstream.

The workshop will be delivered by Migration Research Group with external guests the ESRC funded  project “” (ESRC, ES/W010151/1) being conducted by Dr Anna Jochymek, Professor Michal Garapich and Dr Rafal Soborski, London Metropolitan Сŷ��Ƶ. 

Dr Jochymek will offer a reflective talk on the methodological advantages and risks of female positionality in researching Polish far-right anti-migration groups in the UK. Drawing on extensive fieldwork, participant observations among various far-right milieus and dozens of interviews, the talk will explore two questions: (1) How can researchers cultivate empathy or maintain professional positive regard for far-right activists without compromising their ethical stance? (2) In what ways can hope be found and resilience maintained while conducting research within an environment shaped by racism, toxic masculinity, hate and violence.  The workshop will cover strategies for maintaining research integrity, researcher wellbeing, and respect for participants when studying anti-immigration groups. 

Garapich, M. P., Jochymek, A., & Soborski, R. (2024). Immigrants in the transnational far right: integration through racisms and negotiating white supremacy in a migratory context. International Migration Review, doi: .

Apply to participate in the workshop

We would like recruit a small number of TUoS participants (up to 10) who can meaningfully contribute to the discussion by sharing relevant experience. They will be invited to co-produce the final learning resource. If you would like to take part in the workshop, please express your interest and provide a short justification using the form linked below.

Deadline to apply is 2nd May 2025 (Friday). We will notify all applicants within a week about the workshop place.

The workshop is funded by the Сŷ��Ƶ Research Ethics Committee (UREC).