Conclusion: Directions for Future Research on the Geographies of Palestinian Children

Just as studies of children's geographies can inform our understandings of the Palestinian context, so too can a geographical approach to research with Palestinian children inform our understanding of other war-affected populations.

place” and struggle to create place. Children’s geographies’ de-emphasis on the medical model of research - especially in Palestine - could also be beneficially applied to research in other contexts by reconceptualizing the complex social, political, and geographic contexts that children and families live within. Based on the above analysis, there are three recommendations to move the future research agenda forward.

3.1 Recommendation #1: Include Young Children and Family as a Population of Interest

Children of different ages, even young children, can be an important source of knowledge about their own lives and communities. Yet at the same time, their experiences are constantly shaped and influenced by those around them. Under­standing young children’s experience from an ecological perspective allows for siblings, caregivers, and members of the child’s social environment who have everyday contact with young children to be involved in research. As an underrep­resented population in research on Palestine, future studies should include young children, asking, for example, how is access to certain places constrained for children depending on age? How do differently aged children interact with different environments?

The family is another underrepresented aspect of the current body of research. Johnson and Joseph (2009) note that Arabic scholarship has revolved around one of two central themes: family or political violence. Yet the two topics have rarely been examined together in the literature. Johnson and Joseph further contend that research on Arab families tends to be “highly under-theorized and under- problematized” (p.

The indications that the well-being of children is related to family points to future research focusing on family support in terms of both sampling and testing relevant domains of functioning. Research should examine aspects of family functioning to help clarify the mechanisms by which attachment and family support operate in these settings. For instance, family support would be better understood if it could be separated from other aspects of family functioning, such as parental mental health, loss or separation from close family members, parenting styles, caregiver trauma exposure, and family conflict. Future research should ask how are family practices used to create a sense of family in times of uncertainty? How do parents and children interact to negotiate children’s spatial freedom in the context of political violence? How do the internal family dynamics and family history influence children’s access to certain places? By including the family in research on Palestinian children’s geographies, one must also consider the impacts of intergenerational power relationships between adults and children, especially in light of differing experiences related to notable time periods during the occupation (e.g., first intifada, second intifada).

3.2 Recommendation #2: Use Multiple Methods and Draw from Multiple Sources to Understand Children's Diverse Experiences

The field of children’s geographies calls for innovative and adapted research techniques while emphasizing children’s competence. It has endeavored to intro­duce flexible and imaginative means by which to encourage children to articulate their experiences and concerns, suggesting creative ways to enhance communica­tion.

Children’s lives are shaped by those around them. Therefore, efforts should be made to gather data from the widest variety of sources and using the widest variety of methods in order to paint the most complete picture of children’s lives. Gathering data from multiple sources acknowledges the broad socio-spatial system that children engage with on a daily basis. In contrast to studies that rely on a single source of data, for example, from a parent or the individual child, future research should integrate data gathered from a variety of sources (including children, caregivers, teachers, community members) using multiple methods to suit the research question and the age of the child. Not only does this increase the reliability of the data and allow for flexibility, but it also creates a rich source of data from multiple perspectives.

Whereas typical methods of information gathering for research may focus on surveys or narrative interviews, younger children and children facing adversities such as trauma or disability may not be able to engage in the research process in this manner. Therefore, alternative participatory methods (e.g., drawing, photography, mapmaking) are ways to understand their experiences in an effective and mean­ingful way.

Finally, Punch (2002) notes that methodological innovations that make research more accessible to children may also be applicable to research with adults, thereby providing an opportunity for adults (e.g., parents, older siblings, aunts, uncles, teachers, and community members) to engage in research with children. This allows research with the whole family, an important element of children’s geographies. The development and use of these methods enables children and families to effectively communicate their stories (van Blerk et al. 2009). While at the same time, efforts should be made to introduce methods that minimize unequal power relationships (e.g., adultism) that may result from including adults in the research process.

3.3 Recommendation #3: Encourage Multidisciplinary Research to Maximize Research Application for Practice and Policy Relevance

Research on Palestinian children’s geographies should move beyond simply dem­onstrating that children have unique and interesting geographies worthy of attention (Holloway and Valentine 2000). Research should ultimately suggest means by which to minimize the harm political violence can cause, uncover new ways of coping and perseverance, and propose creative ways to move forward. Ultimately, research must be linked to practice and policy. Examining the way that children and their families experience everyday life in Palestine can inform the way that pro­grams are developed. There is also a pressing need for the evaluation of existing programs that cater to Palestinian children. Furthermore, future research would benefit from capitalizing on the experience of professionals from multiple disci­plines already working with children and their families in Palestine, integrating their experience into ongoing research projects.