Decolonizing qualitative research through transformative community engagement: critical investigation of resilience with Palestinian refugees in the West Bank

Individual Interviews
Family Group Interviews
Situational mapping
Ethnographic observation
Community-Based Participatory Maps

This study examines the decolonization of qualitative research methods through transformative community engagement, focusing on resilience among Palestinian refugees in the West Bank. By implementing the Palestinian Refugee Family Trees of Resilience (PRFTR) project, the research bridges community-based participatory methods with decolonial frameworks. Using interviews and grounded theory analysis, the study highlights indigenous perspectives on resilience amidst historical trauma and ongoing settler-colonial violence. Seven community engagement strategies, captured in an "A to G" framework, were employed to navigate complex power dynamics, enhance cultural sensitivity, and prioritize community voices in the research process. These strategies underscore the necessity of culturally meaningful approaches and the inclusion of local stakeholders in data interpretation and project outcomes. The findings contribute to understanding resilience as a culturally rooted, intergenerational process, providing insights into decolonial methodologies in psychology applicable to marginalized communities globally.

The project centered on indigenous Palestinian perspectives, emphasizing cultural concepts like muqawama (resistance), sumoud (perseverance), and awda (return) rather than imposing external frameworks.

There was an emphasis on culturally meaningful engagement and relationship-building, such as honoring Palestinian values of Ahlan wa Sahlan (hospitality).

The Palestinian Refugee Family Trees of Resilience (PRFTR) project reflects a belief that change occurs through community-driven action and the decolonization of knowledge production. The project emphasizes that structural change involves confronting and dismantling colonial systems of power, including settler-colonial violence and Western-dominated academic practices. Resilience and change are seen as intergenerational processes, where knowledge, stories, and practices are passed down to empower younger generations.

Participant narratives and testimonies
Field notes

The research findings were positioned to:
- Inform global discussions on refugee resilience, settler-colonial oppression, and decolonial research methods.
- Highlight systemic inequities affecting Palestinian refugees, contributing to broader advocacy for human rights and social justice.

"For Palestinian refugees, resilience is deeply intertwined with acts of resistance against ongoing oppression and the struggle for justice." (p. 500)

"Transformative community engagement in research can lead to empowerment, capacity building, and the co-creation of knowledge that benefits both the community and the broader field of study." (p. 510)

Decolonial studies
Sociology
Critical Psychology