Dominance strategies and resistance tactics: Experiences of Ugandan women sex workers in Istanbul

Ugandan women sex workers have not attracted attention and have not been analysed comprehensively within the scope of resistance studies in Turkey. This thesis aims to bring a breath of fresh air to gender studies in Turkey with a claim that goes beyond the boundaries of "victimisation" or "oppression" by focusing on the experiences of women with a feminist motive above and beyond filling the gaps in the framework of resistance studies. In doing so, it draws strength from women's experiences and enables them to raise their voices. This study, which is based on semi-structured research form and in-depth interviews with Ugandan female sex workers in field studies conducted in different times of 2021 and 2022, does not ignore the gender relations of the country of migration. Moreover, migration is addressed in the context of the problems faced by women, each of whom is "illegal", in the country of migration and the manoeuvres and tactics they develop in the face of these problems. The data obtained in the field study provide various outputs on "what" and "how" Ugandan women sex workers resist and are discussed within the scope of "hidden transcripts" throughout this study. Finally, this thesis reveals women's resistance tactics against domination strategies and aims to pioneer subsequent studies.