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Politics drives human functioning, dignity, and quality of life

Author

Listed:
  • Barber, Brian K.
  • Spellings, Carolyn
  • McNeely, Clea
  • Page, Paul D.
  • Giacaman, Rita
  • Arafat, Cairo
  • Daher, Mahmoud
  • El Sarraj, Eyad
  • Mallouh, Mohammed Abu

Abstract

Too little is known about human functioning amidst chronic adversity. We addressed that need by studying adult Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), a population that has experienced longstanding economic and political hardships. Fourteen group interviews were conducted in February, 2010 in Arabic by local fieldworkers with 68 participants representing the main stratifications of Palestinian society: gender, region, refugee status, and political affiliation. Interview tasks included each participant: describing someone doing well and not well, free listing domains of functioning, and prioritizing domains to the three most important. Thematic analyses highlighted the dominating role of the political domain of functioning (e.g., political structures, constraints, effects, identity, and activism) and the degree to which political conditions impacted all other realms of functioning (economic, education, family, psychological, etc.). The discussion links the findings to relevant theory and empirical work that has called attention to the need to include the political in frameworks of quality of life. It also emphasized that values, such as justice, rights, dignity and self-determination, that underlie political structures and policies, are key elements of human functioning. This is the case not only in the oPt, but in any society where power imbalances marginalize segments of the population.

Suggested Citation

  • Barber, Brian K. & Spellings, Carolyn & McNeely, Clea & Page, Paul D. & Giacaman, Rita & Arafat, Cairo & Daher, Mahmoud & El Sarraj, Eyad & Mallouh, Mohammed Abu, 2014. "Politics drives human functioning, dignity, and quality of life," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 90-102.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:122:y:2014:i:c:p:90-102
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.09.055
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    1. Guido Veronese & Lorenzo Montali & Federica Cavazzoni & Daniela Mattiuzzi, 2022. "Toward a Culture-Informed Conceptualization of Child Agency in a Context Characterized by Political and Military Violence. A Qualitative Exploration throughout Experts’ Voices," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 15(4), pages 1379-1403, August.
    2. Barber, Brian K. & McNeely, Clea & Olsen, Joseph A. & Belli, Robert F. & Doty, Samuel Benjamin, 2016. "Long-term exposure to political violence: The particular injury of persistent humiliation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 154-166.
    3. Khraisha, Qusai & Sawalha, Lama & Hadfield, Kristin & Al-Soleiti, Majd & Dajani, Rana & Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2024. "Coparenting, mental health, and the pursuit of dignity: A systems-level analysis of refugee father-mother narratives," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).
    4. Alameddine, M. & Fouad, Fouad M. & Diaconu, K. & Jamal, Z. & Lough, G. & Witter, S. & Ager, A., 2019. "Resilience capacities of health systems: Accommodating the needs of Palestinian refugees from Syria," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 22-30.

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