Coping and war

The question of life’s meaning remains highly significant, especially during crises such as wars and conflicts. However, we still know very little about how individuals cope with crises, both during and after such events. Does spirituality, religion, or other ideologies play a role in this context? Are there differences in coping mechanisms between religious and non-religious individuals? How do people from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds find meaning to help them navigate crises?

To address these questions, I together with some colleagues from the Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies at the University of Gävle in Sweden are conducting a voluntary study. By participating as informants in this international research project, individuals contribute significantly to understanding how people manage crises.

This study is part of an international project on Meaning-making Coping with Crisis, initiated in 2013, involves professors, associate professors, researchers from Sweden, and 23 researchers from around the world. It investigates coping strategies among individuals affected by crises, collecting data through interviews and surveys targeting people aged 18 and older. To date, the study has resulted in several books and ten peer-reviewed articles in international scientific journals.

In studying individuals affected by ongoing conflicts and war in the Middle East, with diverse ethnic backgrounds, the researchers conduct interviews online. Informants will find a series of open-ended questions. They are encouraged to respond in their own words, and the research team ensures that all responses will remain fully confidential. Ethical considerations are central to the study; approval has been obtained from the Swedish Ethical Review Authority, and the study follows established principles, including providing clear information, obtaining consent, ensuring confidentiality, and specifying the intended use of the data. All necessary details will be provided to informants before they decide whether to participate.

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary, and researchers guarantee that it will not cause any harm to informants. All the information provided by informants will be kept confidential, and their identities will not be linked to their responses. Only data directly relevant to the study will be collected.

The participation of informants is immensely valuable, regardless of their religious beliefs. Informants’ decisions to take part significantly enhance the scientific value of this research.

Department of Social Work, Criminology, and Public Health
Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies
University of Gävle, Sweden