Between identities, emotions and ethical practice in fieldwork​​ | Research Ethics

What happens when a researcher’s own story becomes part of the data? And how do you ethically navigate moments when participants’ emotions – joy, frustration – surface in the interview process?In this episode, Dr Hakan Ergül speaks with Stephanie Hoi-Ying Chan, a PhD student at IOE. Stephanie’s doctoral research explores the lived experiences and professional identity development of primary music teachers in Hong Kong.Drawing on her background as a classically trained musician and former primary music teacher, Stephanie reflects on the ethical tensions of managing multiple identities in the field, handling emotionally charged interviews, and translating rich Cantonese narratives into English without losing meaning or voice.Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2026/may/between-identities-emotions-and-ethical-practice-fieldwork-research-ethicsMore IOE Insights podcasts: https://uclioe.info/podcastUCL Institute of Education: https://ucl.ac.uk/ioe