Press releases of Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF)

The biographies of adult women who migrated or fled as mothers are particularly difficult to find in research and society. Since they benefit less from support and integration programs in the host country, their social, cultural, and economic capital is often overlooked and undervalued.

“With these 13 biographical interviews, we want to highlight these perspectives. The women’s stories are counter-narratives that allow us to immerse ourselves in the lived realities of marginalized groups that are otherwise often neglected,” explains Prof. Dr. Anke Wischmann, outlining the book’s purpose: “And at the same time, we want to highlight the strength and potential that these women possess.” The biographical format presents the women as both victims of migration and shapers of their own futures.

The book is the result of a research project examining diverse life realities. It was important to the women involved that their stories did not merely remain part of a dataset but that they are widely shared. This led to the creation of the book.

The interviews, conducted in German and Arabic, are annotated by Anke Wischmann. The biographical conversations function as counter-narratives. Based on the assumption that social reality is shaped by stories that are told, the women’s experiences described in the book reveal a different social reality.

The book provides a voice for these women and their strategies for coping with migration, making a case for a society that listens to these voices, sees the people behind them, and empowers them. 

On September 12 from 18:00 to 20:00, Anke Wischmann, Thouraya Al-Janabi, and several other women will read from the book at the Museumsberg in Flensburg. The reading and the discussion that follows will offer insights and food for thought.