Transformation of marriage migrants to diasporic actors and rethinking female agency: Ukrainian women in Türkiye

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article investigates the transformation of Ukrainian female marriage migrants in Türkiye into diasporic actors. This role as diasporic actors represents a unique aspect of female agency, and its impact on migrant women and the diaspora is discussed. The representatives of the hometown associations (HTAs) were interviewed, the activities of the HTAs were tracked, and their social media posts were examined. The findings reveal that when women became diasporic actors, they influenced community politics on a large scale and created multiple networks. It has also been found that migrants strengthened the institutional structures of the HTAs by using these networks. Moreover, through their approach of bringing different groups together, they created a diaspora composition where hierarchy in representation is not explicit.