HARM's long-awaited March paper is finally ONLINE!

HARM's March 2024 paper, by Phil C. Langer and Aisha-Nusrat Ahmad, is now available online. Read HERE.

Abstract:

Research involving highly vulnerable groups, such as those with deeply traumatic experiences, presents researchers with significant ethical and methodological hurdles. This article outlines a project conducted in northern Iraq with former ISIS child soldiers. We reflect on our methodological and ethical decisions within the framework of the do no harm imperative — a cornerstone of research ethics that has faced criticism for its perceived inadequacy. Our focus lies in detailing the development, theoretical underpinnings, methodological justification, and practical application of a participatory approach through collaborative storytelling with children and adolescents. In addition to adhering to the do no harm principle, which seeks to prevent adverse consequences such as re-traumatisation, we advocate for a positive ethic of recognition. This approach facilitates the methodological translation of traumatic experiences and their socio-political transformation into testimonies.