Constructing Intimate Partner Violence Through Gendered Discourse: A Feminist Poststructuralist Perspective on Syrian...

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Gender Studies
• Forced Migration Studies

Background:

• Hegemonic gender roles discourse profoundly influences social dynamics and individual experiences.
• Syrian refugee women in Jordan face unique challenges related to displacement and cultural norms.
• Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a critical issue within refugee communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how hegemonic gender roles discourse shapes Syrian refugee women's experiences of IPV in Jordan.
• To analyze the discursive mechanisms underlying IPV within this specific population.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing feminist poststructuralist theory.
• Foucauldian discourse analysis of 40 narrative interviews with Syrian refugee women.
• Analysis focused on identifying dominant discursive dynamics related to gender roles and IPV.

Main Results:

• Three key discursive dynamics identified: men's provider role failure, pressure for traditional masculinity, and women's gender role reversal (especially economic activity) provoking IPV.
• Women's engagement with alternative discourses of empowerment initially intensified IPV.
• Empowerment discourses ultimately enabled new forms of agency and self-determination for some women.

Conclusions:

• Hegemonic gender roles discourse is a significant factor in the perpetuation of IPV among Syrian refugee women.
• While challenging traditional norms can escalate violence, it also offers pathways toward agency and self-determination.
• Interventions should consider the complex interplay of discourse, gender roles, and violence in refugee contexts.