‘My view of the world and my place in it has been shaken’: shifting political identities among young refugees in Jordan since 7 October 2023

The conflict in Gaza that began in October 2023 triggered widespread protests in Jordan, which is host to more than 3 million Palestinian and Syrian refugees. With young people’s civic and political identities and participation increasingly being framed as a critical dimension of global development, understanding the impact of this unprecedented conflict on young refugees is important for informing strategies to support their future civic engagement. This article analyses findings from participatory research with young refugees in Jordan aged 19–24 undertaken in February–March 2024 to explore how the conflict is changing young refugees’ civic engagement and political identities. We find that while historically refugees have tended to refrain from public political discourse, the Gaza-Israeli conflict has triggered increased political expression by young refugees. The conflict has also underlined complex tensions between refugee and adopted country identities, especially given repression and perceived inaction by authorities and the wider international community. Transnational belonging and religious identities are emphasised by refugees as a way to navigate these tensions. Despite these shifts, opportunities for refugees to engage with politics remain distinctly gendered. As such, efforts to support and affirm young people’s citizenship practices must address social and political inequalities.

Suggested citation

Pincock, K., Jones, N. and Al Heiwidi, S. (2025). ‘"My view of the world and my place in it has been shaken": shifting political identities among young refugees in Jordan since 7 October 2023' Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies: 1-18 (https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2025.2586729)