In-the-works of understanding workaholism

ABSTRACT

Ethnographic research probes both contextually situated and personally resonate values in ways that may provoke ethical tensions for researchers. Reflecting on my fieldwork, I demonstrate how my engagement with recovering workaholics disturbed the ontological security underlying my long-held understandings of “work ethic” and success. Subsequently, I encourage applied communication scholars to embrace the uncertainties they discover through their work—not as sites for resolution, but rather as sources for ongoing, heuristic inquiry.

KEYWORDS:

• Ethnography
• work ethic
• narrative inquiry
• ontological security