‘Doing Family’ as a Separated Household: The Experience of Syrian Refugees in Germany and Lebanon

Abstract

This chapter investigates the impact of forced family separation upon displaced Syrians in Lebanon and Germany. It is guided by two main research questions: How do Syrian households in Lebanon and Germany deal with the everyday insecurities brought about by displacement? And how do they do family in separation? Based on 18 months of fieldwork conducted in Germany and Lebanon in 2018 and 2019, the chapter examines everyday insecurities and coping strategies to explore parallels in the way Syrian households in different regions navigate separation and do family from afar. The main results of the study indicate that Syrian refugees in two different geographical contexts use similar coping mechanisms to respond to the everyday insecurities caused by life in separation. In particular, people in separated households established new social networks, consolidated family relationships with left-behind family members, and reinforced their religious beliefs and practices. The findings also show that the idea of family has blurred boundaries and multiple dimensions for separated households, with Syrian refugees experiencing separation both spatially and temporally.