Recalling emotional recall: reflecting on the methodological significance of affective memory in autoethnography

Abstract

ABSTRACT This essay explores the theatrical roots of an oft-referenced but under-theorized instrument used in autoethnography: emotional recall, or affective memory. I define emotional recall, provide an overview of affective memory’s history in performance, and consider how the tool is modified when used in qualitative research. After distinguishing between more conventional forms of recollection and emotional recall, I offer specific strategies for practicing and accounting for affective memory in autoethnography. Trigger Warning: This article contains stories about child molestation, anti-gay violence, and domestic abuse.