Vulnerability and Resilience of Assyrian and Yazidi Refugees in a Transit Migration

During my guest researcher stay at the Swedish Institute in Athens, I aim to research the vulnerability and resilience strategies of Assyrian and Yazidi refugees in a transit migration context by making use of an ethnographic research design supported by archival research at several institutions in Greece. So far, no specific studies have been conducted among these groups in Greece. This study will help me to understand how these groups experience vulnerability in a transit migration context and how they build their resilience in different socio-cultural environments. In addition, this research opportunity will deepen my previous and on-going research about the same groups in other Western European countries. I have chosen to work with these groups with the aim to develop at theoretical level a correlative typology between the concepts of vulnerability and resilience. My study will make use of interviews with refugees, stakeholders and archival and desk research. In addition to the research, several impact-related activities aimed at a broader audience will be organised, such as a seminar, organization of a digital art exhibition and a refugee documentary screening and discussion.

The project is funded by the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond.