Women's response to rural-urban resettlement: A case study of Keban Dam Female Migrants in Elazığ

IV SUMMARY Ph.D Thesis Women's Response to Rural-Urban Resettlement: A Case Study of Keban Dam Female Migrants in Elazığ İlknur ÖNER Fırat University The Institute of Social Sciences Sociology Main Division 2004,Page:XX+370 This study scrutunizes "the response of the Keban Dam female migrants to the resettlement" by examining the experiences of mothers and daughters 20 years after the rural-urban resettlement in Elazığ, Turkey. The research aims to recommend appropriate policy formulations and alternative planning strategies, to understand the existing position of women and their families who have been affected. A number of questions and hypotheses were tested. The data for this research emanated from face to face semi- structured interviews, observations and secondary data sources. Study focused on a sample of 175 females; 80 mothers, 80 single daughters and 15 married daughters were drawn from traced Keban Dam migrant families in Elazığ. Specifically, the responses and experiences of female migrants, that are examined related to changes in participation to paid work activities, education, decision making process, use of city centre, use the right of to be electorate and controle of material resources. Thus, diversity in responses to the transitional period of resettlement in Elazığ and the affect of the overall position of women in particular were intended to be understood. The findings of the reserch indicate that women respond to resettlement in various ways. That diversity was observed at inter- generational level. İt has been brought into the light that active experiences and changes into the roles of women at the personal level do not necessarily overlap with the apperance of their position in public. The identified forms of women's responses are classified as active, passive, withdrawal or transitional phases. The occurrence of these differences indicate that women are active participants within their own terms in their new environment. Researchers' evaluations are entirely dependent upon women's own choices and solutions on reflection of their experiences, opportunities and constraints as a result of difference in their experiences. Therefore, women's experiences can be dealt with different concepts. Key words: Women, migration, Keban, resettlement, paid work.