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Societies
Special Issues
Doing and Critically Evaluating Participatory Action Research in Migration Studies
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Doing and Critically Evaluating Participatory Action Research in Migration Studies

A special issue of Societies (ISSN 2075-4698).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2024) | Viewed by 9023

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Birte Nienaber

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, 4366 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Interests: migration; border studies; man–environment-studies; European spatial planning and development; rural geography
Dr. Jose Oliveira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geography and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, 4366 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Interests: youth studies; identity; transition to adulthood; cross-cultural studies; migration and integration
Dr. Isabelle Albert

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, 4366 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
Interests: intergenerational family relations; transmission of values; cultural diversity; identity and belonging; migration and ageing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are opening a call for a Special Issue entitled “Doing and Critically Evaluating Participatory Action Research in Migration Studies”.

Participatory Action Research (PAR) allies theory and practice, aiming to address and solve immediate problems and determine best-practice solutions. It acknowledges people's capacity in given settings and when going through particular life challenges to actively participate in the research process by addressing their specific experiential challenges. In recent years, increased attention has been given to Participatory Action methodologies in the context of a shift towards post-colonial methodologies that acknowledge the value of more horizontal methodological approaches, which bring together, in a collaborative endeavour for the co-construction of knowledge, researchers and research participants. Collaborative peer researchers and art-based events are excellent examples of such an epistemological shift. Peer research is an action-based research methodology that takes advantage of the participation of the people whose living experiences are the object of study in the research endeavour. Acknowledging active participation in the direction and conduction of research stems from a recognition (common to PAR approaches) that individuals whose experiences are being researched are themselves competent experts in the object of study and perfectly capable of participating in the research process as co-constructors of knowledge. As for art-based research, this involves a systematic use of artistic processes and the elaboration of artistic expressions in all forms to analyse and understand (construct or extract meaning from) the lived experiences of research participants and researchers themselves. Art-based events are participatory and collaborative in nature and aim to co-produce or co-construct new and eventually emancipatory or empowering perspectives/actions using creativity and storytelling.

The present call for a Special Issue on the use of PAR within migration and integration studies is to be underpinned by theoretical contributions and new empirical research that broadens and further explores the use of PAR while critically assessing it in the field of migrant (post-)integration processes. The use of art-based events and peer researchers opens spaces for active and creative participation in the co-construction of new knowledge and innovative ways of constructing meaning about migration/integration experiences. The attribution of the power to participate in knowledge construction as experts to research participants can strongly stimulate a process of empowerment manifested in narratives related to their own personal experiences. Furthermore, it can lead to a more ethically driven and collaborative research process that open up new perspectives and knowledge construction legitimacies, departing from the epistemological narrowness of Knowledge Holders’ expertise (“expertism”) in the field of migration/integration studies.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: theoretical papers on PAR in migration and integration studies; empirical papers on PAR in migration and integration studies; comparisons of the use of PAR in migration and integration studies; papers on specific art-based events in migration and integration studies; papers on peer researchers in migration and integration studies.

Within the spirit of PAR and in order to accommodate the contributions of peer researchers and/or participants in art-based events in the publication/ dissemination endeavour, a special section is foreseen to accommodate contributions by peer researchers/participants in art-based events (e.g., blogs or other printable material) which will not be subject to peer review. Notwithstanding, these contributions must be linked to empirical research presented in the scientific articles that will comprise the Special Issue.  

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Birte Nienaber
Dr. Jose Oliveira
Dr. Isabelle Albert
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as conceptual papers are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Societies is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • migrant integration
  • participatory action research
  • peer research
  • art-based events

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 7542 KiB  
Article
What Is the (Lack Of) Integration? An Intergroup Perspective Using the Photovoice Methodology
by Eleonora Crapolicchio, Daniela Marzana, Marta Gaboardi, Cristina Giuliani and Camillo Regalia
Societies 2024, 14(10), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14100212 - 18 Oct 2024
Viewed by 954
Abstract
Photovoice is a participatory action research (PAR) method that employes photographic language to explore individuals’ stories and living contexts. This study explores the representations of young participants, both immigrants and non-immigrants, concerning integration—defined within Berry’s (1997) framework as a bidirectional process of cultural [...] Read more.
Photovoice is a participatory action research (PAR) method that employes photographic language to explore individuals’ stories and living contexts. This study explores the representations of young participants, both immigrants and non-immigrants, concerning integration—defined within Berry’s (1997) framework as a bidirectional process of cultural and social adaptation between migrants and host communities—and the lack of integration within their neighborhood in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The participants included 12 young individuals (6 migrants and 6 locals) aged 19 to 29, two peer researchers, and one researcher. Over the course of two weekly three-hour meetings, participants captured and discussed photos depicting their perspectives on integration. The findings highlighted diverse conceptualizations of integration. Participants emphasized the reciprocal relationship between migrants and locals, illustrating how positive interactions with schools, workplaces, and public spaces facilitate integration. Additionally, successful migrants were seen as models of empowerment. Conversely, themes such as poverty, loneliness, discrimination, and the impact of war emerged as significant barriers to integration. This study underscores the dynamic and interactive nature of integration, as experienced by young people in multicultural settings. It highlights how Photovoice methodology can effectively capture nuanced perspectives on integration, foster mutual understanding, and facilitate intergroup relationships. The method fosters personal and community reflection, actively engaging its audience in critical discussions about integration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Doing and Critically Evaluating Participatory Action Research in Migration Studies)
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15 pages, 429 KiB  
Article
Narrative, Nature-Based Participatory Action Research (PAR) among Female Turkish Migrants in Denmark: Reflections on Methodological Benefits and Challenges
by Anne Leonora Blaakilde and Karen Christensen
Societies 2024, 14(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14010008 - 11 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2146
Abstract
Migrants of non-European origin tend to suffer more from diabetes, obesity and other chronic ailments compared to the native population. A group of female Turkish migrants in ill health, living in Denmark, were invited to join a session of eleven weekly meetings in [...] Read more.
Migrants of non-European origin tend to suffer more from diabetes, obesity and other chronic ailments compared to the native population. A group of female Turkish migrants in ill health, living in Denmark, were invited to join a session of eleven weekly meetings in natural surroundings, including yoga, bonfires and gathering fruits and herbs. The women were invited to suggest activities, and every meeting included dialogues focusing on their everyday life, interests and experiences. Two PAR researchers facilitated the meetings together with an interpreter. This article presents the methods and results of this PAR research and discusses the methodological ethnographic balance between approaching the migrants’ weaknesses in terms of their illness and migratory challenges on the one hand and, on the other, their transnational resources as workers, household keepers and kin keepers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Doing and Critically Evaluating Participatory Action Research in Migration Studies)
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15 pages, 3981 KiB  
Article
“A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words”: Youth Migration Narratives in a Photovoice
by Monica Roman, Vlad I. Roșca, Smaranda Cimpoeru, Elena-Maria Prada and Ioana Manafi
Societies 2023, 13(9), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc13090198 - 22 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1784
Abstract
This study focuses on the integration facilitators of young migrants in Romania, as resulting from the information gathered through a Photovoice participatory action research method. Young third country nationals were asked to take photos which they thought best summed up their migration experiences. [...] Read more.
This study focuses on the integration facilitators of young migrants in Romania, as resulting from the information gathered through a Photovoice participatory action research method. Young third country nationals were asked to take photos which they thought best summed up their migration experiences. Next to the photos, the migrants were also asked to submit short texts describing the captured images and the meanings that these had for them, thus adding richness and nuance to the data. The evidence gathered reveals that several factors, such as access to education, interacting with a new culture, and with new places and people, are perceived as opportunities and positive migration outcomes. Therefore, human and social capital, as well as the natural or urban environment in the host country, contribute to the enhancement of integration opportunities for young migrants. The paper sets out to analyze how such factors which can facilitate integration are captured in a PAR. Research results show that young migrants perceive their experiences in Romania as enhanced by some factors through which they advance in their integration paths. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Doing and Critically Evaluating Participatory Action Research in Migration Studies)
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Other

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11 pages, 1175 KiB  
Concept Paper
Researching Playfully? Assessing the Applicability of LEGO® Serious Play® for Researching Vulnerable Groups
by Agnes Kriszan and Birte Nienaber
Societies 2024, 14(2), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14020015 - 26 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2265
Abstract
Although in recent years plenty of work was published on LEGO® Serious Play®, there are only a manageable number of publications about its applicability in a research context. Undoubtedly, LEGO® Serious Play® can be a methodological enrichment particularly [...] Read more.
Although in recent years plenty of work was published on LEGO® Serious Play®, there are only a manageable number of publications about its applicability in a research context. Undoubtedly, LEGO® Serious Play® can be a methodological enrichment particularly for participatory research with people in vulnerable conditions. However, its utilization in research should always be well reflected and adapted to the specific research context. Based on experiences gained in the H2020 project “MIMY – EMpowerment through liquid integration of Migrant Youth in vulnerable conditions”, the following article depicts the potentials and limitations of LEGO® Serious Play® and critically assesses its value for research purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Doing and Critically Evaluating Participatory Action Research in Migration Studies)
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