Understanding and Exploring HIV/AIDS and Discrimination

This chapter outlines the main theories of discrimination and stigma and the methodology of the research. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used in collecting and analyzing the data. Research on refugees is a complex undertaking, and there is no tested method for studying both refugees and HIV/AIDS. This results in the enhanced challenge of conducting research in precarious conditions where refugees reside, owing to displacement of refugees caused by myriad of factors that we have to take into consideration. In this way, it addresses the vacuum in scholarship and prepares the ground for designing research based on geographical and political settings, and proposes new alternatives for addressing them. This will be an important contribution to the methodological underpinning in refugee research. Ethical issues pose a significant challenge as this research involves human subjects and deals with delicate and sensitive issues. This chapter also explains the process for handling confidential research material, developing intersectional analyses and answering specific questions related to multi-strategy research design that are crucial in researching refugees.