A Comparative Study of Syrian Immigrants in Gender Equality Discourse and Integration in the UK and Sweden

Dias Pabyantara Swandita Mahayasa; Salma Kinanti Buldhani

doi:10.33005/wimaya.v6i01.169

Authors

Dias Pabyantara Swandita Mahayasa Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
Salma Kinanti Buldhani Universitas Jenderal Soedirman

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33005/wimaya.v6i01.169

Keywords:

Syrian refugee, Integration, Gender Equality, Discourse, UK, Sweden

Abstract

A significant number of migrants arrived in Europe in 2015, with Syrian refugees accounting for a disproportionate share of these new arrivals. Syria has a poor level of gender equality compared to other European countries such as Sweden and the UK. With an emphasis on the disparities in gender norms between their native country and host nation, this study aims to examine the phenomena of gender discourse and the integration challenges Syrian populations face. Strong patriarchal beliefs in Syrian communities make integration complicated and fuel many discussions about gender roles in these groups. This research uses a comparative method to analyze the gender equality discourse and integration experiences of Syrian refugees in the UK and Sweden. Through policy analysis and secondary data from journal articles, the research investigates how gender equality is perceived, communicated, and implemented within Syrian immigrant communities and the broader societal frameworks of both countries. The study reveals distinct national approaches to gender equality and integration, highlighting the impact of these differences on the lived experiences of Syrian men and women.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aggestam, K. (2016). Swedish Feminist Foreign Policy in the Making: Ethics, Politics, and Gender. Ethics & International Affairs. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/journal/swedish-feminist-foreign-policy-in-the-making-ethics-politics-and-gender

Ager, A., & Strang, A. (2008). Understanding Integration: A Conceptual Framework. Journal of Refugee Studies, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fen016

Arbetsförmedlingen. (2016). Etableringsprogrammet. Arbetsförmedlingen - Swedish Public Employment Service. Retrieved June 1, 2024, from https://arbetsformedlingen.se/other-languages/english-engelska/additional-support/support-a-z/etableringsprogrammet

Asaf, Y. (2017). Syrian Women and the Refugee Crisis: Surviving the Conflict, Building Peace, and Taking New Gender Roles. Advanced Centre for Women's Studies, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci6030110

Bastia, T., & Piper, N. (2019). Women Migrants in the Global Economy: A Global Overview (and Regional Perspectives). Gender & Development, 27(1), 15-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552074.2019.1570734

Borselli, M., & van Meijl, T. (2020). Linking Migration Aspirations to Integration Prospects: The Experience of Syrian Refugees in Sweden. Journal of Refugee Studies, 34(1), 579-595. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/feaa043

Brady, E. (2017). An Analysis of Security Challenges Arising from the Syrian Conflict: Islamic Terrorism, Refugee Flows, and Political and Social Impacts in Europe. Journal of Terrorism Research, 8(1), 53–67.

Danaj, E. (2019). Albanian Women's Experiences of Migration to Greece and Italy: A Gender Analysis. Gender & Development, 27(1), 139–156. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552074.2019.1570726

Day, K., & White, P. (2002). Choice or Circumstance: The UK as the Location of Asylum Applications by Bosnian and Somali Refugees. GeoJournal, 56(15-26). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021700817972

Dyvik, E. H. (2023, September 6). Sweden: Number of Refugees by Country of Origin 2022. Statista. Retrieved June 12, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1300145/number-refugees-sweden-country-origin/

Eagly, A. H., & Steffen, V. J. (1984). Gender Stereotypes Stem from the Distribution of Women and Men Into Social Roles. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46(4), 735-754. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.46.4.735

Edenborg, E. (2018). Saving Women and Bordering Europe: Narratives of “Migrants’ Sexual Violence” and Geopolitical Imaginaries in Russia and Sweden. Geopolitics, 25(3), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2018.1465045

EIGE. (2020). Gender Equality Index 2020: United Kingdom. European Institute for Gender Equality. Retrieved September 15, 2024, from https://eige.europa.eu/publications-resources/publications/gender-equality-index-2020-united-kingdom?language_content_entity=en

Gender Performativity in Diaspora - Syrian Refugee Women in the UK. (2017). In J. Freedman, Z. Kvlcm, & N. Ozgur Baklacoglu (Eds.), A Gendered Approach to the Syrian Refugee Crisis (pp. 142-154). Taylor & Francis Group.

Government Equalities Office. (2013). Equality Act 2010: Guidance. GOV.UK. Retrieved June 13, 2024, from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance

Government of UK. (2015, March 23). A Stronger Britain, Built on Our Values. GOV.UK. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/a-stronger-britain-built-on-our-values

Government Offices of Sweden Ministry of Employment. (2024). Gender Equality Policy in Sweden [A Government for Gender Equality]. https://www.government.se/contentassets/efcc5a15ef154522a872d8e46ad69148/gender-equality-policy-in-sweden-240229.pdf

Gracia, E. (2015). Intimate Partner Violence Against Women and the Nordic Paradox. Social Science & Medicine, pp. 157, 27–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.03.040

Gren, O. (2018). Gender in Displacement [A Phenomenological Study of a Syrian Refugee Experience in Sweden from a Gender Perspective]. DiVA.org. https://doi.org/su-160322

Habash, D., & Omata, N. (2023). The ‘Private’ Sphere of Integration? Reconfiguring Gender Roles Within Syrian Refugee Families in the UK. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 24, 969-988. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-022-00982-x

Hearn, J., & McKie, L. (n.d.). Gendered Policy and Policy on Gender: The Case of 'Domestic Violence.' Policy & Politics, 36(1), 75–91. https://doi.org/10.1332/030557308783431634

Healey, R. L. (2010). Gender Variation in Asylum Experiences in the UK: The Role of Patriarchy and Coping Strategies. Journal of Identity and Migration Studies, 4(2), 24–43.

Home Office. (2016). Strategy to End Violence Against Women and Girls: 2016 to 2020. GOV.UK. Retrieved June 13, 2024, from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategy-to-end-violence-against-women-and-girls-2016-to-2020

IOM. (2015). IOM and Migrant Integration. https://www.iom.int/files/live/sites/iom/files/What-We-Do/docs/IOM-DMM-Factsheet-LHD-Migrant-Integration.pdf

Mangrio, E., Zdravkovic, S., & Carlson, E. (2018). A Qualitative Study of Refugee Families’ Experiences of the Escape and Travel from Syria to Sweden. BMC Research Notes, 11(594). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-018-3702-1

Mason, R. (2016, September 19). Theresa May Resists Calls for UK to Accept More Syrian Refugees—the Guardian.

Melby, K., Carlsson Wetterberg, C., & Ravn, A.-B. (2009). A Nordic Model of Gender Equality? Introduction. In Gender Equality and Welfare Politics in Scandinavia: The Limits of Political Ambition? Policy Press. https://doi.org/10.46692/9781847423412

Mikael, E. M. (2016, April 8). Refugees in the Swedish Media. DiVA Portal. http://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:918054

Moghadam, V. (2003). Modernizing Women: Gender and Social Change in the Middle East.

Monaghan, F. (2015, March 25). Theresa May's Hidden British Value – Monolingualism. The Conversation. Retrieved October 30, 2024, from https://theconversation.com/theresa-mays-hidden-british-value-monolingualism-39258

Nissen, A., Sengoelge, M., & Solberg, Ø. (2021). Post-Migration Stressors and Subjective Well-Being in Adult Syrian Refugees Resettled in Sweden: A Gender Perspective. Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.717353

Ozcurumez, S., Akyuz, S., & Bradby, H. (2019). Services for Refugees Subject to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Turkey and Sweden. European Journal of Public Health, 29(4). https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckz186.030

Pereira, I., McKeown, A., Porter, L., Cereso, I., Baker, C., Clark, L., Rehsi, A., Peto, C., & Ipsos. (2018). Perceptions of Extremism – What Birmingham People Think. Birmingham City Council.

Phillimore, J., Humphries, R., & Khan, A. (2019). Moving on: Syrian Refugees’ Experiences of Resettlement and Wellbeing in the UK and Sweden. University of Birmingham.

Röder, A., & Mühlau, P. (2014). Are They Acculturating? Europe’s Immigrants and Gender Egalitarianism. Social Forces, 92(3), 899-928. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/sot128

Schweitzer, R., & Vromans, L. (2019). Hope and Resettlement: Differences between Male and Female Syrian Refugees in Australia. Journal of Refugee Studies, 33(1), 197-209. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/fez026

Silander, D. (2019). An Analysis of the Development of Asylum Policies in Sweden. International Migration & Integration, 21, 309–329. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-019-00690-3

Smith, R. (2018). Sweden as a Norm Entrepreneur: War, Refugees, and European Order. Journal of Refugee Studies, 34(1), 343-366. https://doi.org/10.1093/jrs/feu031

Strömbäck, J. (2017). Framing Immigration Policy in the News: A Comparison of Public Service and Commercial TV in Sweden. Journalism Studies, 18(5). https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2016.1202856

Tickner, J. A., & True, J. (2018). A Century of Feminist International Relations. Oxford Handbook of Feminism and International Relations. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199743179.013.1

Ticktin, M. (2017). Sexual Violence as the New Racialized Technology of Border Control. The Journal of Law, Culture, and the Humanities, 13(2), 356–361. https://doi.org/10.1177/1743872116645383

UK Government. (2018). Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/integrated-communities-strategy-green-paper