2025 Projects

Refugee Narratives Personal Stories of Migration and Displacement

Format: On Campus and Online
Number of Students: 4-6
Duration of Project: 1 July – 1 September
Project Supervisor: Professor Deniz Şenol Sert
Research Areas: Migration Studies, Oral History, Digital Storytelling, Social Justice, Human Rights, Media Production
Daily Supervisor: Graduate research assistant
Application Deadline: 13 June 2025

Project Description

This project invites high school students to engage with the lived experiences of refugees and migrants through oral histories and digital storytelling. Students will learn to conduct interviews, analyze personal narratives, and transform their findings into creative media outputs such as podcasts, videos, or written essays. The project emphasizes ethical storytelling, empathy, and critical reflection on the social dimensions of forced migration.

About the Project

Forced migration is often portrayed through numbers and statistics, but personal narratives offer a powerful way to challenge stereotypes and build understanding. This project allows students to bridge the gap between abstract concepts and human experiences. Working closely with researchers, students will be trained in qualitative research methods, interview techniques, and multimedia production. Through interaction with community members, students will co-create impactful stories that shed light on the complexities of migration.

Project Objectives

  1. Develop qualitative research skills: Learn how to conduct oral history interviews with empathy and ethical considerations.
  2. Challenge stereotypes about forced migration: Explore how personal narratives reveal the nuances and human dimensions of migration.
  3. Create meaningful digital outputs: Produce short podcasts or video stories based on interview findings.
  4. Foster empathy and social awareness: Encourage students to see migration from a human-centered perspective.
  5. Cultivate critical thinking and reflection: Analyze themes that emerge from interviews and reflect on how they connect to broader social issues.

Project Tasks

  1. Training: Attend workshops on oral history, ethical research, and interview techniques.
  2. Research Preparation: Identify potential interviewees (community members, refugees, or migrants) and develop interview guides.
  3. Data Collection: Conduct oral history interviews using ethical guidelines for sensitive storytelling.
    Analysis: Review and reflect on the collected stories, identifying key themes and insights.
  4. Production: Use storytelling methods to create a deliverable (podcast or video) based on the narratives.
  5. Presentation: Present final products to peers and the research team.
Deliverables
  • Oral History Interviews: Conduct and transcribe at least 2-3 interviews per student.
  • Creative Outputs: Develop one or more of the following:
    • A short podcast episode (5-10 minutes)
    • A short video story (3-5 minutes)
  • Reflection Piece: Write a short personal reflection on what was learned from the process of working with personal narratives.

Benefits for the Student

  • Empathy and Ethical Awareness: Understand migration through human stories, rather than abstract statistics.
  • Research Skills: Develop skills in qualitative research, interviewing, and ethical considerations.
  • Creative Expression: Use multimedia tools to tell powerful stories.
  • Teamwork and Collaboration: Work in teams, practicing problem-solving, collaboration, and storytelling.
  • Communication Skills: Enhance communication and analytical skills through interviews and multimedia production.

Requirements

  • Interest in migration and social justice: Students should have a curiosity about global migration, social change, and human rights.
  • Willingness to engage with personal stories: Comfort in listening to and reflecting on the lived experiences of others.
  • Basic technical literacy: While not required, familiarity with video editing or audio recording will be beneficial.
  • Time Commitment: Ability to dedicate approximately 15-20 hours per week to the project.

Language Skills: Fluency in Turkish and English is preferred, and other language skills may be an asset.

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