Social class and mobility in the context of forced migration: Experiences of Syrian NGO employees in Türkiye

This thesis examines Syrian NGO employees' migration experiences and mobility trajectories in Türkiye by focusing on pre- and post-migration social class narratives and capital conditions that are predominantly marginalized in the forced migration context. The research aims to shed light not only on the experiences of highly skilled and middle-class backgrounds Syrians in Türkiye but also on the labor conditions of I/NGOs by taking into consideration Syrians as service mediators rather than beneficiaries. Through the qualitative analysis of 15 Syrian NGO employees' stories that work in a total of 7 I/NGOs in Türkiye, the thesis presents how pre-existing economic, social, and cultural capital influence migration experience and generate conversion and acquisition of new forms of capital that paved the way for taking relatively better job positions in I/NGO settings, ability to negotiate refugee label, and shaping aspirations. On the other hand, the findings reveal that lack of sufficient social capital at the beginning of the post-migration period, the lack of recognition for cultural capital, the de-skilling experiences in I/NGOs through a mismatch of skills and tasks, and precarious working conditions pose obstacles for potential social mobility. Therefore, the thesis suggests the concept of "deprived mobility" to the existing literature in which forced migrants can encounter being stuck in underqualified job positions despite highly skilled and middle-class backgrounds and newly acquired local forms of capital in the host country due to the ignoration and lack of recognition of their skills and knowledge, stereotypical attitudes, and labeling.