Research Information System
Woman Studies International Forum, no.115, pp.1-9, 2026 (SSCI)
Through an intersectional feminist perspective, this study illuminates the lived experiences of immigrant women in Turkey, examining how they navigate and negotiate structural inequalities through their parenting practices after migration. Extracurricular activities serve as a lens to examine parenting practices and strategies, uncovering the emotional, financial, and cultural aspects of maternal labor. This study employs a qualitative, interpretive methodology and uses purposive sampling with maximum variation to select participants. Interviews were conducted with twelve immigrant women from diverse national backgrounds. Extracurricular activities emerged as a focal point where neoliberal pressures, patriarchal expectations, and migration insecurities converge, compelling immigrant women to perform parenting styles aligned with the ideals of intensive mothering and concerted cultivation. Women's narratives highlighted institutional, socioeconomic, cultural, and normative constraints they faced through their children's extracurricular activities. Despite intersecting structural inequalities, immigrant women exercised agency in addressing aspirations for their children's social mobility, identity preservation, and cultural adaptation. Immigrant women's efforts for social and economic empowerment also illustrated that motherhood encompassed more than merely providing emotional support in the post-migration context. This study provides insights into how women's agency can mitigate the effects of systemic barriers, thereby shaping their children's educational trajectories.