Reframing Research Participation as Labour: Lessons From Sex Work Research

Abstract

This article reframes research participation as a form of task-based labour, drawing on qualitative fieldwork with sex workers in Malta. Through 17 in-depth interviews with adults with lived experience of sex work, we explore the ethical and methodological implications of compensating participants, focusing on the design and justification of a flat-rate financial incentive. In doing so, we position this discussion in dialogue with wider debates on precarious work and the politics of recognition. Grounded in labour-centred perspectives, our approach aligns research methods with the theoretical framing of sex work as labour, challenging extractive practices and reinforcing participants’ autonomy and expertise. We argue that compensation is not merely a practical recruitment tool but an ethical and epistemological commitment to equitable participation, especially, though not exclusively, when engaging socially marginalised groups. By reflecting on recruitment, trust, and data quality, as well as challenges around eligibility, coercion, and participant vulnerability, we offer practical insights for ethically attuned qualitative research. We propose that participant compensation, when transparently and contextually implemented, can foster trust, enhance methodological consistency, and mitigate power imbalances. This article contributes to ongoing debates in qualitative methodology by offering a reflexive account of research practice that centres marginalised voices, supports inclusive knowledge production, and models fairer engagement with so-called ‘hidden’ or structurally disadvantaged groups, especially if engaged in informal or marginalised forms of work. We call for broader recognition of participation as labour in research design, ethics, and practice.