Islamic Studies and the Arts: New Research Methodologies in Working with Refugees in Jordan

Since the outbreak of the Syrian war in 2011, more than 750,000 Syrians
(UNHCR, 2018. Fact Sheet. Available from: https://reliefweb.int/report/
jordan/unhcr-jordan-factsheet-february-2018 [Accessed 10 September
2018]) found refuge in Jordan. This paper discusses the use of Art as a
research tool to examine Syrian women’s narratives of displacement,
identity and home. By drawing the contours of their own bodies,
through the use of the artistic technique of body mapping, women were
able to share their personal memories of marriage, love and friendship
but also more controversial issues such as marital relationships. Based
on a pilot study on marriage and divorce practices among refugees in
Jordan, this paper illustrates how body mapping techniques, as an
innovative research method, allows refugee women to articulate the
impact of their refugee experience on their understanding of gender
roles in the new refugee context in Jordan.