Mapping Memories and Meaning: Visual and Narrative Methods in Research With Older African Refugees

There is an increasing scholarly and humanitarian interest in research involving older refugees, marking a notable departure from the historical marginalisation of this demographic within both academic literature, practice, and policy discourses. Despite this emerging focus, there remains a significant gap in the documentation and critical evaluation of methodological approaches tailored to the unique needs and experiences of older refugee populations. While our overarching study explored the social network and support experiences of 11 older African refugees in Calgary, Canada, through a participatory study, this paper presents methodological reflections and insights from the study. The research employed a combination of visual diagramming tools, including timelines and ecomaps, and oral storytelling to explore co-researchers’ migration journeys and evolving social support systems. We advance that these methods facilitated richer, more nuanced articulations of personal narratives, enabling co-researchers to visually and verbally map the complexities of their displacement experiences and their relational networks. We also critically examine the limitations of these approaches, particularly the challenges associated with interpretation and the potential dilution of narrative depth. This paper aims to inform future research design involving older refugees and similarly marginalised groups.