Ethical and methodological dilemmas in research with children experiencing adversity and conflict: Voice, silence and listening

Background: Participatory research with children has been long-standing and has provided a space for researchers to understand the everyday lives of children, but also, and more importantly, has emphasised the significance of doing research with, rather than on or about, children and keeping them in the centre of our thinking and research. While this is true in many places around the world, doing research with children experiencing violence, uncertainty and political conflict – although crucial – becomes more complex in such challenging contexts. The voices of children in these settings are often silenced, and children are rarely given opportunities to communicate their needs and have a say in decisions and interventions that affect their lives, well-being and childhoods. Objective: This reflective paper aims to explore ethical and methodological challenges in conducting research with children in contexts of violence, uncertainty and political conflict. In exploring these challenges, the paper offers reflections on both the benefits and challenges of using participatory research with children by exploring meanings of voice, listening and silence in these contexts. Methods: The paper draws on a qualitative research study conducted with minority-Christian and Muslim Arab children in Jerusalem to understand the meanings they attach to being well in a context of violence and conflict. Findings: By providing some reflections on doing research in contexts affected by violence, conflict and uncertainty, this paper emphasises the importance of listening to children and the ways in which creative but flexible, contextual and adaptable research methods can enable researchers to listen to, and engage with, children in complex contexts and provide spaces which support children not only to experience voice, but to find that voice.