The Voice of the Voiceless: Refugees’ Perceptions of Participation Under Constraint

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ID: 320092
2026
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Abstract
Abstract Refugee camps have evolved into durable governance sites characterized by centralized authority and monopolistic service environments where residents lack ‘exit’ options. While public administration scholarship extensively theorizes the benefits of participation, research often assumes a baseline of stable, democratic institutions, leaving ‘participation under constraint’ underdeveloped. This study examines whether ‘thin’ participation—awareness of feedback mechanisms and consultative outreach—is associated with refugees’ perceived outcomes at individual, community, and institutional levels. Using household-level survey data from 876 households across 33 refugee sites Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, we find that both latent awareness and consultation are significantly associated with improved subjective well-being. Our findings reveal a tiered impact: passive awareness correlates with community and institutional gains, while the relational intensity of consultation is required for individual-level improvements. These results suggest that even minimal engagement functions as a vital generative mechanism for institutional legitimacy in high-dependency, non-democratic environments.
Reference Key
openalex_W7167695515 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Khaldoun AbouAssi, Corbin M Walls
Journal journal of public administration research and theory
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/jopart/muag019
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/muag019
Keywords Keywords not found

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