Behind the Red Nose: Identity construction through emotional work - The case of Hospital Clowns

Abstract: The aim of this thesis is to further explore the impact of emotional work on identity, looking at the case of hospital clowns. From an interpretive angle, we build up on theories of emotional labour, emotional work and multiple identity construction as a point of reference for our abductive interpretations and analysis. Our fieldwork included in-depth interviews and observations of hospital clowns, in which we sought to uncover how their emotional work influences their identity and how their private life is affected by the hospital clown's experiences at work. We found that their emotional work impacts their lives and identities in three ways: through their professional identity as hospital clowns, through their tendency to accept and embrace imperfection and through their clown persona as an extension of their self. We come to the conclusion that, despite the negative experiences that emotional labour can entail, in this case it is seen in a more positive light and serves as a lever for enrichment of identity.