The Hell of the Subcontract: Syrian Refugees in Istanbul’s Clothing Industry

This article investigates the employment conditions of Syrian refugee workers in the clothing industry in Istanbul, as well as its consequences on their socio-emotional well-being and life plans. 62 interviews in the form of life stories were conducted with these workers from workspaces of varying s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Basem Mahmud, Rosa M. Soriano-Miras
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Genealogy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/9/2/55
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This article investigates the employment conditions of Syrian refugee workers in the clothing industry in Istanbul, as well as its consequences on their socio-emotional well-being and life plans. 62 interviews in the form of life stories were conducted with these workers from workspaces of varying sizes. The research identifies ambiguity, hyper-precarity, institutional violence, and segregation (refugees mostly work in small workshops) as the main concepts for understanding these conditions. The dimensions of socio-emotional well-being are dominated by depression and loss of control over life. However, the personal (self) dimension (proud, optimistic, and staying positive with oneself) remains high. As a result, migration outside of Turkey emerges as as ongoing hope in the pursuit of stability and control over the future.
ISSN:2313-5778