Gendered aspirations and realities- Enactment of agency by Syrian adolescent girls in the displacement situation in Bekaa, Lebanon

Abstract: The purpose of this qualitative study was to add to the understanding on how structural elements of gender shape identity and agency of Syrian adolescence girls in the current displacement situation in Lebanon. The thesis was primary based on findings from interviews and focus groups with Syrian displaced girls in the age of 14 enrolled in a school in the region of Bekaa, east of Lebanon. The theoretical framework was based on theories of gender, agency, and connectivity. Connectivity can be explained as interconnectedness between family members’ self-worth and identities. The interviewed girls shaped their identity in highly gendered structures where aspects of honour were inherent and channelled by connectivity. It contributed to internalisation of certain practices and inequalities. Identities and aspirations had its foundation in their gendered reality. Since the individual was tied together with other family members’ status and self-worth, it is likely that agency will take other expressions than solely challenging power norms since it would not only impact the individual, but also the family. The results aim to contribute to a more inclusive understanding on how empowerment projects can be designed for displaced adolescents in a similar context.