Syrian women in Antep :|labor, forced migration and violence

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the intersectionality of labor, forced migration, gender, racism and violence, and how these intersections have an impact on the labor processes of the Syrian women living in suburban neighborhoods of Antep. It examines the everyday life intersectionality of the economic, social, political, cultural and class dynamic processes and structures in which the Syrian women are embedded, and how those processes are articulated with each other, by focusing on the daily labor processes of Syrian women involving in the informal home-based piecework labor market of Antep. With articulation of women into the labor market- in addition to domestic works like childcare, elderly care, domestic labor and so on which the current gender regime imposes on women- the burden of women has increased. In cases where husbands or males in the household work intensely, the women take the responsibility of outside work such as grocery shopping, medical visits, paying bills and so on which makes them invisible in urban life- unable to enter a certain kinds of public spheres- and visible in some certain spheres like the hospital. This research also reveals that racism, social oppression and violence against women in the name of honor has increased. As all these processes push the women into the home, this thesis aims at making visible the women subjectivities and agencies against the approaches and methods in a struggle for defining the Syrian women as “victim” and “suffering”. Being inside emerges as one of the tactics of Syrian lower-class women who are formally recognized under temporary protection status but live the refugee experience, to protect themselves and survive.