Forced migration, family, and separation: The case of Kurdish families in Italy

Abstract

This article explores how the case of refugee families highlights the challenges faced by migrant families, particularly in the experience of transnational fami-ly-making. The analysis is based on two different ethnographic research, (2014-2016) and (2017-2018), which collected qualitative data by means of semi-structured interviews with first-generation Kurdish refugees. The results show that the experiences of ‘forced migration' and ‘forced settlement' affect family relationships mainly at the affective (ties and relationships) and norma-tive (roles and expectations) levels, and that at each migration stage the com-bination of these spheres changes, weighing differently on family relation-ships.