Comparison of the Pandemic Experiences of British and Syrian Old Women Living Alone in Turkey

Abstract

The article highlights the importance of examining the explanatory contributions of migration status, social isolation, and perceived social support in studying the impact of the pandemic on older immigrant women’s experiences of loneliness and stigmatization. In this study, the co-researchers interviewed 15 Syrian women in Gaziantep and 6 British women in Muğla using in-depth interviews and observational techniques. It suggests that loneliness is experienced differently by older immigrant women depending on their position such as ethnicity, faith, class. It also shows that individualistic and collectivistic views of life lead to differences in the experience and perception of loneliness and social isolation during the Covid 19 process. The intersection of factors such as gender, ethnicity, and immigration led to different patterns of stigmatization, especially among Syrian immigrant women. Recognizing that the pandemic is not only a health crisis but also a social crisis, the study provides insights into the manifestations that experiences at the intersection of age, femininity, and immigration can and do take on during social crises.