The new international migration from a gender perspective: A case study of post-Soviet 'servants of tourism' in Antalya

This thesis explores the determinants and consequences of the migration of women from the former Soviet Union countries to Turkey by adopting a gender perspective. The theoretical and analytical framework of the study is built on the assumption that migration is a gendered and a gendering process. The major argument of the thesis is that the basic determinant of migration of women from post-Soviet countries is economic, and women gain economic opportunities in Turkey either through wage labor or marriage. Secondly, the position of migrant women in the host country, the way people think about and act to them, is determined by different power hierarchies which they have not themselves constructed, such as class, age, race, ethnicity and nationality all which mediate with relations of gender. The third argument is that, migrant women do not take their situation for granted; instead they display resistance by getting organized, by developing strategies and constructing identities that lead to empowerment of women through redefinition of gender relations and other power relationsThe empirical part of the thesis is derived from the fieldwork conducted in Antalya which includes self-completion questionnaires, non-participant observation and semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with migrant women in Antalya from the former Soviet Union countries who are working in tourism industry as low-paid service laborers. They are shortly called `post-Soviet servants of tourism'. The findings of the fieldwork are that women migrate to Turkey for a variety of reasons; either for labor or marriage. For women whose major motivation for migration is to work and increase economic opportunities, the ease of visa requirements, the weather and their networks are the major reasons for choosing Turkey. Secondly, the experiences of migrant women are context-dependent. The dynamics of tourism industry in Turkey influence women's status and experiences to a great extent. Among the post-Soviet women working in Turkey in different types of work, women in tourism are the most integrated to the society due to the social relationships surrounding their work. Thirdly, women in tourism display signs of resistance to the problems related to their migrant status by cooperating and networking with their home and host societies.