Revisiting Iraq: Change and continuity in the familial relations of Iraqi refugees in Copenhagen

TY - JOUR

T1 - Revisiting Iraq

T2 - Change and continuity in the familial relations of Iraqi refugees in Copenhagen

AU - Pedersen, Marianne Holm

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - For refugees, their country of origin often provides a strong source of belonging and identity, yet many refugees can only maintain infrequent contacts with it. This article investigates how the sudden increase in relations with Iraq after Saddam Hussein's fall affected Iraqi refugee women and their families in Copenhagen, Denmark. It shows that, while renewed transnational practice in some ways allowed the women to recreate links to their relatives and their places of origin, thus affirming their Iraqi identity, it also raised questions about previous notions of relatedness and belonging and created a stronger sense of belonging in Denmark.

AB - For refugees, their country of origin often provides a strong source of belonging and identity, yet many refugees can only maintain infrequent contacts with it. This article investigates how the sudden increase in relations with Iraq after Saddam Hussein's fall affected Iraqi refugee women and their families in Copenhagen, Denmark. It shows that, while renewed transnational practice in some ways allowed the women to recreate links to their relatives and their places of origin, thus affirming their Iraqi identity, it also raised questions about previous notions of relatedness and belonging and created a stronger sense of belonging in Denmark.

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0003-5459

VL - 53

SP - 15

EP - 28

JO - Anthropologica

JF - Anthropologica

IS - 1

ER -