ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the concept of emotional labour and outlines how it is used in the context of understanding an overlooked dimension of transnational and transracial adoptees’ experiences of identity and adoption: the embodied emotional labour of adoption. Connections are made between the emotional labour involved in doing research with adoptees as an adoptee and the emotional labour involved when Korean adoptees navigate questions of adoption and identity. The background of the overall study is provided along with an outline of the qualitative research design, which included semi-structured interviews, autoethnography and participant observation. The process used to invite Korean adoptees to participate in my project is discussed and the background of those who participated is provided.
