‘Blood Doesn’t Become Water’? Syrian Social Relations during Displacement

Main author: Lokot, Michelle
Format: Journal Article           
Online access: Click here to view record


id eprints-30050
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
description Humanitarian discourses emphasize that displacement results in disruptions to family structures. This article challenges simplistic descriptions of change during displacement, highlighting the powerful role of the family in Middle Eastern societies through an anthropological exploration of social relations among Syrian refugees in Jordan. It contributes to academic analysis on social relations among refugees by presenting a more mixed picture of social dynamics within and outside the family—both before conflict and during displacement. It explores how the hold of the family among Syrians may limit social interactions with ‘outsiders’ during displacement, as well as how displacement may offer opportunities for tighter social regulations to be unravelled. These findings highlight that social relations among refugees must be analysed more carefully, and with consideration of intersectional power dynamics.
format Journal Article
author Lokot, Michelle
author_facet Lokot, Michelle
authorStr Lokot, Michelle
author_letter Lokot, Michelle
title ‘Blood Doesn’t Become Water’? Syrian Social Relations during Displacement
publisher Oxford University Press
publishDate 2020
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/30050/