A gender perspective on the migration experience of Uzbek women from Afghanistan: The case of Ankara

This thesis study, it is aimed to reach the different experiences of Uzbek women of Afghan nationality living in Turkey before, during and after migration. The context of the exclusion and inclusion processes faced by women; In particular, the concepts of social, cultural and economic cohesion have been tried to be understood separately for each process. In order to understand the patriarchal bargains of women during and after the migration process, an understanding and interpretive approach were adopted and a qualitative research method was used. The sample was determined by the snowball technique, paying attention to diversity. 15 Uzbek women from Afghanistan participated in this research conducted in the capital Ankara, and in-depth interviews were conducted with the prepared semi-structured interview form. The interviews were deciphered, classified and analyzed. Uzbek women of Afghanistan nationality are the group that should be interpreted differently from other migrations due to the difference in the social, cultural and economic structure they come from. Understanding the change and transformation practices experienced by these women is important in order to understand the indicators of adaptation and to produce appropriate policies. The aim of this thesis study is not to tell about female victimization or to evaluate the issue of adaptation after migration with negative aspects, but to consider the transformation of Uzbek women of Afghan nationality in the context of feminization of migration. For this reason, the change of the structure that differentiated from men before migration in the migration process and after has been discussed within the framework of gender concepts. On the basis of adaptation indicators, living conditions, spatial analysis of the regions in which they are located, access to public rights, labor processes and intersections of sociocultural interaction were considered in such aspects. In the research findings, it was revealed that Uzbek women of Afghanistan nationality entered into bargaining with the patriarchy in economic, social and cultural terms and changed and transformed the structure they were in. It has been determined by the study that this transformation and differentiating practices directly affect the compliance indicators. Keywords: Afghanistan, Uzbek Women, Migration and Women, Gender, Integration