Participatory songwriting with adolescents: a relational research method for practice and inquiry in global development

Gillian Howell

Development in Practice, 2025, vol. 35, issue 7, 1009-1023

Abstract: Although adolescents are increasingly in focus in development and humanitarian research, their perspectives often remain underrepresented, particularly in study design and methodology. This article introduces participatory songwriting as an innovative qualitative method for engaging adolescents in exploring their lived experiences. Grounded in participatory arts-based research, the approach centres youth as co-creators, using personal narrative, metaphor, and musical expression to compose original songs. Drawing on a case study with adolescents affected by conflict and violence in the Middle East, the article outlines a structured process of participatory narration, analysis, and dissemination through both musical and traditional outputs. It highlights the method's strengths in engaging adolescents in relational research and generating rich, multidimensional insights into young people's lives. Ethical considerations and challenges related to facilitation, representation, and power dynamics are also discussed. Participatory songwriting offers a promising approach for more inclusive, youth-centred research and practice in humanitarian and development contexts.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/09614524.2025.2540573

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