Research Information System
GENDER ISSUES, vol.43, no.31, pp.1-20, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
Migration has often been framed as a form of salvation for individuals facing crises such as war, economic collapse, or natural disasters. However, state policies strongly shape this process and can create distinct challenges for women. These challenges include health problems, social and occupational deprivation, limited access to education, deterioration of family structures, exposure to violence, racism, and harmful media portrayals. As a result, women are often relegated to the “other” or “uncertain” group within society. This study examines differences in media representations of Syrian and Ukrainian women who were compelled to migrate due to the Syrian Civil War (2011) and the Russia–Ukraine conflict (2022). The study measures how these women are portrayed during migration and examines the role of media in perpetuating othering, drawing on theories of precarity, performativity, and dispossession. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study applies content and thematic analysis to news coverage from 2012 to 2023 for Syrian women and from 2022 to 2023 for Ukrainian women across five global media channels. This study fills a gap in both Turkish- and English-language scholarship by applying these theoretical frameworks to media representations of Syrian and Ukrainian women and offering a novel perspective.