PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

Based on the experience of the research project "Die Praxen der Amateurpornographie [The practices of amateur pornography]", this article reflects upon the characteristics and difficulties of qualitative empirical sexual research and the scientific handling of pornographic images. Both formal and informal mitigation strategies that enable the scientific analysis of sexual material are discussed. Although informal ways of dealing with potentially arousing images cannot be converted into rule-based procedures, they fulfill important functions. The article aims to initiate a discussion about how to deal with sexually explicit material in everyday research practice.