Household livelihood strategies of Iraqi immigrants: The case of Ankara province

This thesis aims to determine the household livelihood strategies of Iraqi migrants who had to leave their country and settle in Ankara as of 2014 due to widespread terrorist activities in Iraq. For this purpose, the factors influencing both the migration process and livelihood paths were determined by referencing the literature on social networks and social capital. In this context, the historical and socio-cultural processes that compelled Iraqi migrants to migrate to Ankara were conveyed, and the statements of 18 Iraqi migrants interviewed within the scope of the research were analyzed within this context. The sub-findings obtained in order to achieve the research aim include the reasons for the evolution of the migration experience over the years, the reasons for the impact of the legal status of Iraqi migrants in Turkey on their daily lives and livelihood strategies and how social capital shapes their access to employment opportunities. As a result of the field research, it was determined that Iraqi migrants, who lost their livelihood assets due to forced migration dynamics, identified seven different livelihood strategies while trying to rebuild their lives in the socio-political context of Ankara: integration into the informal market, increased participation of women in the labor force, reduction of consumption and avoidance of social expenditures, remittance transfers, utilization of social assistance, and contemplating a return to Iraq. In addition to household livelihood strategies, the research findings indicate that Iraqi women's increased participation in employment and visibility in the public sphere have altered the gender experience within society and negatively influenced the idea of returning to Iraq. Moreover, it was found that the political stance of Iraq as the sending country, as much as the conditions of the country of destination, influenced the voluntary/forced return actions of the migrants and hindered the idea of returning to their homeland.