’Should I really be here?’: Problems of trust and ethics in PAR with young people from refugee backgrounds in sport and leisure

Abstract

Participatory Action Research (PAR) has been positioned as a means of addressing the current methodological limits within forced migration studies and sport. Yet, there are challenges in ensuring that PAR achieves its intended aims of collaboration, mutual respect, trust, accountability, fairness, and social transformation. This article stems from a PAR study exploring the relationships between sport and leisure and the wellbeing of young people from refugee backgrounds in London, UK. We offer a critical discussion of two overlapping and sensitizing issues in our work: (1) developing trust and negotiating reciprocal partnerships; (2) navigating ethical dilemmas and doing PAR with integrity. We argue that embedding a reflexive approach and developing trusting and reciprocal relationships allows us to collaboratively negotiate these issues and promote the benefits that may be derived to all partners involved through the participatory process.