Millions of refugees fleeing war and persecution in Syria have received significant attention in both the public sphere and academic research. This paper examines the use of body mapping, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) as artistic methodological tools to allow refugees express their resistance to state violence and forced displacement. The body is central in refugees’ experiences of war, persecution and displacement. Body mapping offers refugees ways to communicate their corporeal experiences. Through the creation of life-sized images which tracing the contours of their bodies on canvas, refugees can visually and emotionally express their experiences.
The use of body mapping engages refugees’ bodies in the artistic process, helping them reflect on their displacement and become more aware of its impact on their lives. This is conveyed not only through art but also through AR and VR, which offer additional layers of information communicated by refugees. By using arts-based methods, female refugees from Syria are empowered to co-create research outcomes and counter gender-biased narratives that often portray them as vulnerable victims. This project critically examines how art, as a sensorialized medium, generates knowledge and examines its impact on viewers during exhibitions.
Based on research conducted in the United Kingdom, Germany and Jordan since 2017, this article discusses the use of these new technologies as novel research methodologies in the Humanities and Social Sciences. In this paper, I argue that using such research methods expands the type of knowledge produced about refugees and provides alternative perspectives on conflicts, resistance and forced displacement articulated by refugees themselves.
