Researching Enemies

On the (Im-)Possibility of Ethnographic Research in Far-Right Fields

Abstract

Ethnographic research in far-right fields seems to contradict the methodological foundations of ethnography: Should, may or can there be dialog, reciprocity, trust and personal closeness, even friendship or collaboration with far-right interlocutors? The article takes the position that ethnographic research with far-right research participants must be engaged and anti-fascist in order to be ethically permissible at all. At the same time, it reflects on the methodological difficulties that arise from this. Such a clear attitude towards the object of research not only contradicts the principles of ethnography, but also risks access to the field. The author uses a delicate situation in which he found himself after his field research in the “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) to show what this can mean in practice. He argues for constant reflection on the dilemma between ethnographic openness and an anti-fascist stance.