A comparative ethnography of emotional risk at work: A political blind spot

Drawing upon a study carried out at a funeral home, a hospital, and a police station, this article explores the sociological study of emotions at work and their political dimension. First, it emphasizes the methodological contributions of comparative ethnography, arguing in favor of this combined methodology by seeking to highlight its refined use of observation and interviews by mobilizing various professional circles. Second, the article aims to understand the political handling of emotions in the workplace (especially what we term “emotional risk”). Emotional risk is often an invisible risk because it is normalized. It is an important issue for working conditions and their negotiation, but it is difficult to bring to the fore. It is often explained and legitimized by professional culture, more or less ignored by management, and relatively forgotten by trade union action. As a result, it rarely or never detaches itself from the local sphere and therefore does not acquire a broader political dimension, although public policies are showing a growing interest in matters of well-being at work.