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Abstract

Researching displacement in Lebanon requires methodological approaches that are both participatory and trauma-informed—approaches that are ethically inseparable and mutually reinforcing. This paper offers a conceptual and methodological reflection on the integration of trauma-informed principles into participatory research with displaced communities, drawing on fieldwork experiences with Syrian, Palestinian, and other refugee groups in Lebanon. Rather than presenting empirical findings, it critically engages with the ethical, institutional, and structural challenges that hinder the adoption of trauma-informed participatory methods within academic, humanitarian, and policy spaces. The paper proposes a trauma-informed participatory research approach that centers refugee agency, safeguards psychosocial well-being, and promotes co-creation of knowledge. It critiques extractive research practices and reflects on alternative frameworks such as refugee-led storytelling, participatory archiving, and collaborative data governance. By advancing this dual framework, the paper contributes to ongoing debates on ethical research methodologies and outlines principles and practices for institutions seeking to support more just, sustainable, and community-driven research infrastructures in displacement settings.

Keywords

trauma-informed participatory approaches displacement research qualitative ethics

Introduction

Researching displacement among displaced communities in Lebanon necessitates methodological approaches that are both participatory and trauma-informed. With over 1.5 million Syrian refugees, a longstanding Palestinian refugee population of over 450,000, and a diverse migrant workforce experiencing intersecting vulnerabilities, Lebanon remains a complex site of displacement, precarity, and evolving humanitarian response (Diab, 2024a). However, much of the academic and humanitarian research conducted in these settings has historically been extractive, reinforcing power imbalances between researchers and displaced communities (Diab et al., 2024). Refugees are often positioned as subjects of study rather than active agents in knowledge production, limiting the potential for research to be both ethical and impactful (Amelung et al., 2024; Clark-Kazak 2017, 2021; Shivakoti & Milner, 2022).

Participatory research methodologies and refugee-led research, offer alternatives to these extractive approaches by centering collaboration, shared decision-making, and co-creation of knowledge (Albtran et al., 2024; Hajir et al., 2024; Nakkash et al., 2024). Such approaches align with trauma-informed research principles that acknowledge the emotional, psychological, and structural impacts of displacement, ensuring that research does not inadvertently retraumatize participants (Alessi & Kahn, 2023; Diab & Al-Azzeh, 2024; Isobel, 2021). In contexts of protracted displacement, where refugees navigate ongoing uncertainty, trauma-informed participatory methodologies can facilitate more ethical engagement by prioritizing dignity, agency, and long-term benefits for research participants.

This paper critically examines the ethical and methodological dimensions of research with displaced populations in Lebanon by bringing together two interdependent approaches: trauma-informed research and participatory research methodologies. While participatory research fosters ethical engagement with refugee communities by redistributing power, ensuring reciprocity in knowledge production, and mitigating harm, it cannot be meaningfully implemented without a trauma-informed foundation that prioritizes psychosocial well-being, informed consent, and safe participation. Similarly, trauma-informed research principles remain incomplete without participatory methods that actively engage refugees as co-producers of knowledge rather than passive subjects. This paper argues for the adoption of a newly introduced trauma-informed participatory approach, asserting that these two frameworks are inherently complementary and must be integrated as a single methodological paradigm.

Drawing from fieldwork with Syrian, Palestinian, and other displaced groups in Lebanon, this study explores the structural barriers—restrictive policies, institutional constraints, and donor-driven agendas—that hinder the adoption of this dual approach within universities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and larger humanitarian actors. It critiques extractive research practices and proposes alternative frameworks that foreground refugee-led storytelling, archiving, and data governance. The study also highlights best practices for embedding trauma-informed participatory research, including ethical reflexivity, culturally responsive engagement, and mechanisms that ensure displaced populations retain ownership over their narratives.

By advancing a trauma-informed participatory approach, this paper contributes to broader debates on ethical qualitative methodologies, participatory knowledge production, and the role of research in advancing refugee agency and well-being. It offers policy recommendations for institutions seeking to establish more just, sustainable, and community-driven research infrastructures in displacement contexts. Rather than presenting a study protocol, this paper offers a conceptual and methodological reflection, informed by fieldwork experiences, that proposes and refines a trauma-informed participatory research approach for displacement settings.

Theoretical and Methodological Framework

Defining Trauma-Informed Participatory Research in Displacement Contexts

Researching displacement in Lebanon requires a methodological approach that integrates participatory and trauma-informed principles as inherently complementary and inseparable. Participatory research methodologies, including Participatory Action Research (PAR), Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), and refugee-led research, have emerged as ethical and politically engaged alternatives to conventional extractive research models (Disney et al., 2023; Filler et al., 2021; Lokot et al., 2023; O’Mahony et al., 2023). These methodologies center collaboration, shared decision-making, and co-creation of knowledge while challenging the traditional researcher-participant hierarchy. However, participatory research alone is insufficient in displacement contexts where refugees have experienced cycles of trauma, precarious legal status, and systemic exclusion. A trauma-informed framework must be interwoven to ensure that participatory approaches do not inadvertently retraumatize participants or reinforce institutional power asymmetries (Diab & Al-Azzeh, 2024; Diab & Alpes, 2024; Isobel, 2021).

While this paper introduces the concept of trauma-informed participatory research specifically in displacement studies, it is important to acknowledge that the intersections between participatory methodologies and trauma-informed principles have been previously explored, particularly within the fields of pedagogical theory and refugee education research. Scholars such as Paris and Alim (2017), Im and Swan (2021), and Oddy et al. (2022) have highlighted how participatory action research (PAR) can be designed with trauma-sensitive practices to foster culturally sustaining pedagogies and more inclusive educational environments for refugee youth. These contributions demonstrate that participatory and trauma-informed frameworks are not entirely novel when applied to vulnerable populations, although their integration into displacement studies and humanitarian research contexts remains limited and under-theorized.

At the same time, critiques of trauma-informed practices have raised important concerns regarding their potential to pathologize or psychologize refugee experiences, sometimes at the expense of situating trauma within broader socio-political and structural contexts. Scholars such as Griner and Smith (2006), Doná and Veale (2011), and Lembke et al. (2024) caution against approaches that frame trauma purely through individualized psychological lenses, thereby overlooking the systemic drivers of displacement, exclusion, and marginalization in host societies. This critique is especially salient in displacement settings, where trauma is inseparable from enduring legal precarity, racialized governance, and socio-economic oppression. This paper revisits these concerns in later sections, emphasizing the need for trauma-informed participatory research to resist psychologization and maintain a structural, rights-based analysis—one that situates trauma within broader systems of legal precarity, displacement governance, and socio-political exclusion—throughout its application.

A trauma-informed research model is based on five key principles: safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer support, collaboration and mutuality, and empowerment and choice (Diab, 2025; Diab & Al-Azzeh, 2024; Diab & Alpes, 2024; Isobel, 2021). These principles align with participatory research by prioritizing ethical engagement, dignity, and agency. Safety involves ensuring that research environments protect participants from harm, whether physical, emotional, or institutional. Trustworthiness and transparency require clear communication regarding the purpose, risks, and intended outcomes of research, particularly in displacement settings where refugees have been subjected to exploitative data collection. Peer support leverages collective knowledge and community solidarity as protective mechanisms in research engagements. Collaboration and mutuality emphasize the redistribution of power in the research process, ensuring that displaced individuals actively participate in shaping research questions, analyzing data, and determining dissemination strategies. Finally, empowerment and choice reinforce refugees’ agency in determining their level of participation, fostering a research environment that respects individual autonomy and lived experiences.

Structural Barriers to Trauma-Informed Participatory Research

Despite its ethical imperatives, implementing trauma-informed participatory research in Lebanon is hindered by a range of structural, institutional, and political challenges. Refugee populations often navigate restrictive legal frameworks that limit their ability to organize, participate in formal decision-making, and access research opportunities (Diab et al., 2024; El-Abed et al., 2023; Janmyr 2022a, 2022b, 2024, 2025). Humanitarian and academic institutions in Lebanon are frequently constrained by donor-driven priorities that favor rapid data collection for policy advocacy over sustained, community-led research (Makhoul et al., 2018). While this study focuses on the Lebanese context, it is important to note that similar constraints — particularly donor-driven priorities and institutional funding structures — have been widely observed in humanitarian and research agendas globally (Pascucci, 2021). These systemic pressures continue to limit the scope for genuine participatory approaches across displacement settings. Additionally, the securitization of refugee governance imposes risks for participants, as engagement in research can be perceived as political activism, potentially resulting in surveillance or legal repercussions (Rowa, 2023; von Rosen, 2019; Jaskulowski, 2018).

Institutional resistance to participatory trauma-informed research also emerges within universities and NGOs, where bureaucratic structures, funding mechanisms, and ethical review processes do not always align with the principles of refugee-led knowledge production (Makhoul et al., 2018). The dominance of external researchers and the preference for quantitative data-driven methodologies further marginalize refugee perspectives, reinforcing extractive research practices (Morris, 2020; Müller-Funk, 2021; Rashid, 2024). Addressing these structural barriers requires institutional commitments to ethical research infrastructures, including financial support for long-term participatory studies, the inclusion of refugees in research governance structures, and mechanisms for data ownership that prevent knowledge exploitation (Field Reid & Modhvadia, 2024; Roura et al., 2021; Ullah, 2024).

Methodological Framework

A trauma-informed participatory research approach integrates qualitative and participatory methods designed to elevate refugee agency and ensure ethical engagement. The methodological framework is structured around three core components: data collection, data analysis, and dissemination.

Data collection involves semi-structured interviews with refugees (and displaced) groups, focusing on lived experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms. These interviews prioritize participant agency, allowing individuals to navigate discussions at their comfort level. In addition, focus groups facilitate peer dialogue and collective meaning-making, ensuring that discussions are shaped by the community’s perspectives rather than predefined research categories. To accommodate diverse forms of expression, refugee-led storytelling and visual methods, such as photovoice and participatory mapping, are incorporated (Breny & McMorrow, 2023; Dennis et al., 2009; Fagerholm et al., 2021; Wang & Burris, 1997). These methods provide non-verbal avenues for participants who may find traditional interviews distressing or limiting.

Recognizing the significant time commitment required for trauma-informed participatory research, participants were offered monetary compensation for their involvement in interviews, focus groups, and participatory activities. This was intended both to honor their contributions and to minimize barriers to participation that could otherwise introduce selection bias, as recommended by best practices in PAR. Additionally, immediate psychosocial support was made available throughout the research process. Participants demonstrating signs of distress were offered referrals to professional mental health services, ensuring that engagement in the research process was supported by appropriate, survivor-centered care pathways when needed. These measures were designed to uphold ethical standards of reciprocity, minimize harm, and foster safe, inclusive participation.

The data analysis process is designed to center refugee voices and lived experiences. Collaborative thematic analysis ensures that displaced individuals actively participate in identifying and interpreting key themes emerging from the data, rather than having analytical frameworks imposed by researchers (Naeem et al., 2023; Wilson et al., 2010). Reflexivity and ethical considerations are maintained throughout, with researchers keeping reflexive journals to document power dynamics, ethical dilemmas, and methodological adjustments, ensuring accountability (Olmos-Vega et al., 2023). To further uphold the participatory nature of the research, preliminary findings undergo peer review with refugee participants, allowing refugee co-researchers and community members to validate interpretations and refine conclusions.

Dissemination strategies prioritize accessibility and community ownership over research findings. Community-centered knowledge sharing ensures that findings are disseminated through multilingual summaries, visual storytelling projects, and community forums, allowing displaced individuals to retain control over their narratives (Judelsohn et al., 2024; Wilson et al., 2010). Beyond community engagement, policy engagement is a key component, involving collaboration with humanitarian organizations and academic institutions to translate findings into practical policy recommendations that enhance ethical research infrastructures (Ramazani, 2023).

By embedding these best practices into the methodological framework, this study contributes to ongoing debates on ethical research methodologies and advocates for institutional transformations that support trauma-informed participatory research. Findings through this methodological approach aim to inform policy recommendations that establish more just, sustainable, and community-driven research infrastructures in displacement contexts, positioning refugees not as passive subjects of study but as active co-creators of knowledge and change.

Case Studies in Trauma-Informed Participatory Research: Achievements and Areas for Growth

While participatory and trauma-informed methodologies offer a conceptual framework for ethical research with displaced communities, their practical application in Lebanon reveals both transformative potential and persistent challenges. This section presents case studies primarily drawn from our own research conducted at the Institute for Migration Studies at the Lebanese American University, supplemented by relevant examples from the broader literature. Together, these cases illustrate how participatory and trauma-sensitive methods have been employed in research with refugees and migrants, highlighting successes, limitations, and lessons for future practice.

Refugee-Led Research: Shifting the Knowledge Production Paradigm

Drawing directly from our fieldwork with Syrian and Palestinian refugee researchers in Lebanon, alongside insights from existing participatory research initiatives, this case study examines how refugee-led approaches are reshaping knowledge production in displacement contexts. In recent years, refugee-led research initiatives have increasingly challenged the top-down, extractive models that have long characterized displacement studies (Filler et al., 2021; MacFarlane et al., 2024; O’Mahony et al., 2023; Saltsman & Majidi, 2021). One such initiative involved Syrian and Palestinian refugee researchers in Lebanon, who, in collaboration with grassroots organizations, documented housing insecurity and labor exploitation in informal settlements (Afifi et al., 2011; Jirmanus et al., 2021; Nakkash et al., 2024). Rather than relying on external academics to conduct fieldwork, refugees were trained in interview techniques, ethical considerations, and data analysis, enabling them to frame research questions based on their lived realities.

Despite the increasing recognition of participatory approaches, refugee-led research remains largely dependent on broader organizations, such as universities, humanitarian agencies, and humanitarian organizations. Funding structures and institutional gatekeeping prevent refugees from leading independent research, as financial resources are typically channeled through established institutions that impose strict parameters on data collection and presentation (Diab et al., 2024). Additionally, legal and political constraints make it difficult for refugees to formally establish research initiatives, as they often face mobility restrictions, work limitations, and risks of surveillance (Diab & Samneh, 2024; El-Zakka & Diab, 2023; Kikano et al., 2021; Wane & Larkin, 2024). These barriers highlight the broader structural inequities that limit refugee agency in academic and policy discourse, ultimately restricting their ability to shape narratives about their own experiences.

Given these systemic obstacles, it is the moral imperative of universities and humanitarian actors to adopt a trauma-informed participatory approach that prioritizes refugee agency in research. As gatekeepers of knowledge and funding, they must move beyond extractive methodologies to support ethical, inclusive frameworks. This requires reducing bureaucratic barriers, expanding funding access, and advocating for policies that enable refugee-led research, ensuring displaced communities play an active role in shaping their own narratives.

Oral Histories and Participatory Archiving: Preserving Refugee Narratives

While this case study draws primarily from external projects led by Lebanese and Palestinian scholars, it contributes to our broader understanding of ethical, trauma-informed archiving practices in displacement research. One notable example of participatory and trauma-informed research is the use of oral history projects to document intergenerational displacement narratives (Baik, 2021; Harper, 2016; Soliman et al., 2022; Starecheski, 2014; Willink, 2023). For instance, a project undertaken by a collective of Lebanese and Palestinian scholars, in partnership with community elders, sought to record the stories of older Palestinian refugees who had witnessed multiple cycles of forced migration, including the 1948 Nakba and the Lebanese Civil War (Sleiman & Chebaro, 2018; CPS, n.d.; Sayigh, 1998).

Rather than conducting one-off interviews focused solely on trauma, this approach integrated community dialogues, intergenerational storytelling, and participatory memory-mapping exercises. This trauma-informed approach allowed participants to contextualize their displacement within broader historical narratives while maintaining agency over how their stories were told and preserved. It also addressed narrative fatigue, a common issue where refugees feel they are repeatedly asked to recount their trauma without seeing tangible change (De Haene et al., 2010; Fernandes et al., 2024).

Despite its successes, the project faced challenges related to archiving and ownership. While participants expressed the desire for their stories to be documented, they were also concerned about who would control the archival material and how it might be used in the future. Ethical dilemmas arose around whether oral histories should be stored in academic institutions, community centers, or digital repositories, and how to balance accessibility with privacy concerns.

Research with Refugee Survivors of Sexual Violence: Trauma-Informed Approaches

This case study is based on our own fieldwork on refugee experiences of sexual violence in Lebanon, complemented by broader literature addressing trauma-informed approaches to researching sensitive topics. Expanding the scope of trauma-informed participatory research within refugee populations, studies focusing on refugee survivors of sexual violence in Lebanon examine the intersections of displacement, legal precarity, and gender-based violence. Many refugee women and LGBTQ + individuals, particularly those with uncertain legal status, experience heightened vulnerability to sexual violence, with limited access to protection or justice mechanisms (Diab, 2024b; Diab et al., 2023; Diab & Samneh, 2024). These studies sought to document their experiences while ensuring ethical engagement that prioritized survivor well-being and agency.

These studies employed participatory storytelling methods, allowing survivors to share their narratives through creative means such as visual storytelling, rather than direct interviews that could be retraumatizing. Participatory storytelling methods in this context included creative writing exercises, visual storytelling through drawing and photography, and structured narrative workshops where participants could share experiences at their own pace and with control over which elements to disclose. These approaches were designed to minimize retraumatization risks by allowing participants to engage with the research process on their own terms, and to center agency and emotional safety throughout the storytelling experience.

Focus groups provided peer support networks, offering a collective space for survivors to reflect on their experiences and coping mechanisms. Trauma-informed care principles were embedded into the research, ensuring that participants had access to psychosocial support and legal referrals (Berring et al., 2024; Edelman, 2023; Greer, 2023; Grossman et al., 2021; Purkey et al., 2018).

Despite these efforts, significant barriers remained in these studies. Many survivors feared speaking out due to the risk of stigmatization, retaliation from perpetrators, or threats of deportation. Additionally, humanitarian organizations supporting refugee survivors often faced funding constraints that prioritized short-term interventions over sustained survivor-led advocacy. These challenges underscored the importance of long-term, community-driven support structures for refugee survivors of sexual violence, emphasizing the need for durable policy changes and inclusive protection mechanisms within displacement response frameworks.

Mental Health and Participatory Action Research: Addressing Trauma Through Research

This section combines insights from participatory action research initiatives on refugee mental health in Lebanon with findings from our collaborative projects at the Institute for Migration Studies. Participatory action research (PAR) studies focusing on mental health among displaced communities in Lebanon and beyond illustrate how trauma-informed principles can meaningfully shape research methodologies (Afifi et al., 2011; Nakkash et al., 2024; Podar, 2023; Quinn, 2013; Thomas et al., 2023). Conducted through coalitions of psychologists, researchers, and community health workers, these studies sought to understand how displacement and the intersectional vulnerabilities it produces affect the psychological well-being of refugee groups.

Under a trauma-informed PAR approach, mental health research can integrate creative methodologies that allow participants to share their experiences without retraumatization. Community-led storytelling circles, participatory art therapy, and reflexive journaling can serve as key methods, enabling displaced individuals to process their emotions in non-verbal and less intrusive ways (Cook et al., 2018; Gillibrand et al., 2023; Hacking et al., 2008; Karcher et al., 2024; Sohal et al., 2022; Stickley et al., 2018). These participatory tools not only empower individuals by giving them control over their narratives but also create a supportive environment where mental health challenges can be acknowledged and addressed collectively. Furthermore, ensuring immediate referrals to mental health services for participants who display signs of distress would be an essential ethical component, preventing the research process itself from exacerbating psychological harm.

Despite its benefits, implementing participatory mental health research within this approach faces structural challenges. Scaling such initiatives would require sustainable funding, yet humanitarian aid often prioritizes short-term crisis interventions over long-term psychosocial support (Bangpan et al., 2019; Fouad et al., 2021; Tol et al., 2015). Additionally, institutional gatekeeping can limit research accessibility, as NGOs and other actors may hesitate to grant researchers entry into refugee communities due to concerns over how findings might impact their funding or relationships with authorities (Hynes, 2003; Lokot & Wake, 2021). Addressing these barriers within a trauma-informed PAR framework would necessitate collaborative partnerships, flexible funding models, and advocacy for policies that recognize mental health research as an integral part of refugee well-being rather than a secondary concern.

Towards Ethical and Sustainable Trauma-Informed Participatory Research

Rather than simply reaffirming the importance of trauma-informed participatory research, this section critically reflects on its practical implications, unintended consequences, and the broader shifts needed to integrate this approach beyond academic discourse. While this paper has highlighted its potential to empower displaced communities, the reality of implementing such methodologies raises complex questions about sustainability, institutional buy-in, and the long-term role of researchers in participatory knowledge production.

One central tension in trauma-informed participatory research is the balance between fostering community agency and navigating the limitations imposed by funding structures, political constraints, and institutional inertia (Bargeman et al., 2022; Huo et al., 2023). While participatory approaches challenge top-down research models, the extent to which they can truly shift power dynamics remains contingent on external factors—many of which remain beyond the control of researchers or refugee communities themselves (Diab et al., 2024).

In addition to these broader structural limitations, questions around data ownership and participatory archiving also demand critical attention within trauma-informed participatory research. While PAR models emphasize participant involvement in data production, combining these approaches with trauma-informed principles necessitates deeper reflection on how data is stored, controlled, and disseminated. Literature on critical and participatory archiving (Ghaddar 2016; Punzalan & Caswell 2017; Wright & Laurent 2021; Poole et al., 2019) highlights the importance of ensuring that displaced participants retain meaningful control over their narratives, preventing re-extraction and secondary trauma through misuse of personal histories.

For instance, even in cases where refugees are trained as co-researchers or data owners, they still operate within legal and institutional environments that restrict their ability to exercise full autonomy over research outputs or policy influence. Without broader systemic changes, there is a risk that participatory approaches simply function as a more ethical—but ultimately constrained—alternative within existing structures rather than a fundamentally transformative model.

Additionally, this discussion invites reflection on the paradox of trauma-informed research: while it seeks to protect participants from harm, it simultaneously operates in an environment where displaced individuals have little control over the ongoing precarity of their lives. Researchers can integrate best practices to minimize retraumatization and uphold dignity, but the broader context—marked by legal insecurity, economic marginalization, and restricted mobility—remains largely unchanged. This raises the question of whether trauma-informed approaches alone are sufficient, or if they must be accompanied by more radical shifts in refugee governance, legal protections, and humanitarian policy. Without structural changes, trauma-informed participatory research risks becoming an isolated practice that alleviates some harms without addressing their root causes.

Another important consideration is the potential for research fatigue within displaced communities (Albtran et al., 2024; Clark, 2008). As participatory approaches gain traction, there is a growing need to ensure that refugees are not repeatedly engaged in research without tangible benefits. Many refugee participants have expressed frustration at the cycle of data collection that does not lead to meaningful change. While participatory research aims to rectify this by positioning refugees as active knowledge producers, it does not always guarantee that findings translate into action. This calls for a rethinking of how research impact is measured—not just in terms of academic output or policy recommendations, but in how it concretely improves the lives of those involved.

A rights-based analysis insists that trauma among displaced populations cannot be addressed solely through individualized care, but must be understood as the product of structural injustices—including statelessness, discriminatory migration policies, and exclusion from legal protections. This framing ensures that trauma-informed participatory research remains grounded in advocacy for systemic change, not just therapeutic outcomes.

Finally, the evolving landscape of displacement research demands a reconsideration of what meaningful participation looks like in digital and transnational contexts. The traditional model of field-based, in-person participatory research is increasingly supplemented by digital storytelling, remote collaboration, and transnational refugee-led initiatives (Bonini Baldini, 2019; Capstick, 2024; Eccarius-Kelly & Schaeffing, 2022; Kendrick et al., 2022). These developments present new opportunities for participatory methodologies to extend beyond localized settings, allowing displaced individuals to engage with research processes even when physical or legal barriers prevent their direct involvement. However, digital participation also introduces concerns about surveillance, data security, and the unequal access to technology among refugee populations, necessitating careful ethical considerations (Forster, 2022; Lobo de Souza Santos Matias & Aradau, 2023).

In sum, this discussion moves beyond a reaffirmation of the importance of trauma-informed participatory research to critically assess its limitations, challenges, and future directions. While this approach remains a vital intervention in displacement studies, its full potential will only be realized when it is accompanied by broader institutional, legal, and political commitments that enable refugee communities to exercise genuine agency—not only in research but in shaping the policies and systems that govern their lives.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Trauma-informed participatory research offers a necessary rethinking of how knowledge is produced in displacement contexts, moving beyond extractive approaches to a model that values refugee agency and long-term impact. While this approach is gaining traction, its implementation remains hindered by legal constraints, political sensitivities, and institutional structures that prioritize efficiency over ethical engagement. The challenge is not only in adopting participatory methods but in ensuring they translate into meaningful action rather than symbolic inclusion.

A critical shift is needed in how research institutions, humanitarian actors, and policymakers integrate refugee-led insights into decision-making. Ethical review processes must evolve to accommodate the fluid and precarious realities of displacement, and funding mechanisms should prioritize sustained engagement over one-time data collection efforts. Without these adjustments, participatory research risks reinforcing the very power imbalances it seeks to dismantle.

Another key consideration is how research findings are leveraged to create tangible benefits for refugee communities. Beyond informing policy, participatory methodologies should actively contribute to community-building, resource access, and advocacy efforts. Methods such as digital storytelling and participatory archiving present opportunities for displaced individuals to take ownership of their narratives, yet these tools require ethical safeguards to ensure data security and prevent unintended harm.

Rather than viewing trauma-informed participatory research as a methodological innovation alone, it must be recognized as part of a broader movement toward research justice in forced migration studies. This requires ongoing institutional commitment, the decolonization of knowledge production, and a restructuring of research priorities to center displaced voices. While systemic barriers persist, they must be challenged through sustained engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and policies that facilitate—not inhibit—refugee-led research initiatives.

While this reflection is grounded in the Lebanese context, the trauma-informed participatory approach outlined in this paper offers broader relevance for displacement settings globally. Researchers working in protracted or emergent displacement contexts—whether in the Global South or North—can adapt these principles to foster more equitable knowledge production. The methodological emphasis on community agency, ethical reflexivity, and structural analysis can be applied across varied legal, cultural, and humanitarian landscapes, offering a framework for resisting extractive research practices and centering displaced voices in diverse environments.

Ultimately, the success of trauma-informed participatory research should not be measured by academic output alone but by its ability to foster dignity, amplify marginalized voices, and create pathways for self-representation. By embedding participation as a foundational principle rather than an optional feature, research can become a tool for empowerment rather than another mechanism of control.

Footnotes

ORCID iD

Jasmin Lilian Diab

Funding

The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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Trauma-Informed Participatory Research in Displacement Studies: Ethical and Methodological Considerations from Lebanon and Beyond

Abstract

Keywords

Introduction

Theoretical and Methodological Framework

Defining Trauma-Informed Participatory Research in Displacement Contexts

Structural Barriers to Trauma-Informed Participatory Research

Methodological Framework

Case Studies in Trauma-Informed Participatory Research: Achievements and Areas for Growth

Refugee-Led Research: Shifting the Knowledge Production Paradigm

Oral Histories and Participatory Archiving: Preserving Refugee Narratives

Research with Refugee Survivors of Sexual Violence: Trauma-Informed Approaches

Mental Health and Participatory Action Research: Addressing Trauma Through Research

Towards Ethical and Sustainable Trauma-Informed Participatory Research

Conclusion and Recommendations

Footnotes

ORCID iD

Funding

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

References