Abstract:

Syrian families residing in Turkey experience continued exposure to different forms of crisis in displacement. Based on ethnographic research conducted in Istanbul in 2022/2023, this talk presents the emic categories of azma (crisis) and sedma (shock) to fathom embodied experiences of crisis and generation, and how they produce each other. By tracing parenting practices and efforts to shield loved ones from crises in Syrian families in displacement, the talk illustrates how crises are experienced through care relationships and responsibilities, highlighting that parents and children are exposed to multiple crises through one another. Ultimately, exposure to and the embodied experience of multiple (and inherited) crises produce generational continuities and breaks. Generational distinctions emerge from children’s and parents’ different roles and consequent responses to crises.