During the summer of 2005 PYALARA hosted a researcher from the Refugee Studies Centre at the University of Oxford in the UK. Dr Jason Hart is an anthropologist who specializes in research with children and youth living in situations of war and forced migration. His work over this summer focused on two subjects. Firstly, he interviewed staff and volunteers at PYALARA in order to learn more about their experience of PYALARA activities. He wanted to find out about the challenges and benefits of running such activities in the difficult conditions of occupation.

Jason was also interested in the ways in which Palestinian youth understand the current situation and how they are able to remain strong in the face of so many difficulties and obstacles. In particular, he wanted to learn about how young people address ‘personal issues’ that relate to friendships. family, and education, for example, alongside the ‘political issues’ connected to the occupation and to the aim of developing the Palestinian nation.