Economic and Social Integration of Syrian Refugee Single Mothers

Istanbul Şehir University | May 2019 – December 2019

In partnership with Ayşe Perihan Kırkıç, this project addressed the near-total absence of Syrian refugee single mothers in both academic research and integration policy. Using an intersectional framework, we conducted in-depth interviews with single mothers from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, revealing how the convergence of caregiving responsibilities, economic hardship, and social exclusion shapes their experiences in Turkey. Our analysis demonstrated that integration policies largely fail to address the interconnected roles of class and gender, thereby reproducing structural barriers. The project resulted in a policy paper and international presentations, contributing empirical evidence to the growing critique of one-size-fits-all approaches in refugee integration discourse.