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Research with Children Seeking Asylum in Ireland: Reflecting on Silences and Hushed Voices

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Methodological Approaches

Part of the book series: Geographies of Children and Young People ((GCYP,volume 2))

Abstract

“Giving voice” to research participants is generally seen as a positive thing to try to achieve, perhaps even a political and ethical priority. However “giving voice” should not be understood as an uncontested or uncomplicated process. The ways in which this priority measures up to the relative lack of agency children participating in research processes may have, and their possible inability and/or unwillingness to speak or want to find a voice in research, has not been the subject of significant debate. This chapter explores some of the issues around children’s active engagement with participatory research and the ways in which researcher may seek to “give voice” to children. Examples from research with children seeking asylum and living in Direct Provision Accommodation Centres in the Republic of Ireland are drawn upon during the discussion.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Social Sciences in the 21st Century and College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, UCC, Cork, Ireland

    Allen White

  2. School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK

    Naomi Tyrrell

Authors
  1. Allen White
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  2. Naomi Tyrrell
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Correspondence to Allen White .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, United Kingdom

    Ruth Evans

  2. Department of Geography, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, United Kingdom

    Louise Holt

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White, A., Tyrrell, N. (2017). Research with Children Seeking Asylum in Ireland: Reflecting on Silences and Hushed Voices. In: Evans, R., Holt, L. (eds) Methodological Approaches. Geographies of Children and Young People, vol 2. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-020-9_5

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