Don’t stop drawing, don’t stop research: citizen social science as a network of solidarity for Palestine

The devastation and mass killing caused by Israel’s war on Gaza have created an overwhelming sense of helplessness for those committed to peace, freedom and justice for Palestine. The indiscriminate killing of civilians has been perpetrated on a scale that amounts to genocide, according to a 2024 report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur. This is unfolding before our eyes as we watch the news on our screens, but there is little we can do to support those affected. This essay describes how a group of academics, artists, activists and citizen social scientists from Lebanon, Palestine and the United Kingdom came together in an effort to do something that expresses solidarity with Palestine at a time of gloom and helplessness. The result was an art exhibition entitled “Don’t Stop Drawing: Visual Diaries of Solidarity with Gaza”, which took place in London in March 2024. The exhibition was used as a focal point for a larger conversation led by citizen social scientists, aiming to build solidarity for Palestine through art and research. This initiative was made possible by our long-term methodological commitment to action-oriented participatory research, and our ability to mobilize an international network of citizen scientists in solidarity and support for Palestinians at a time when trying to affect change is most difficult but also most urgent.