Survival Strategies of Syrian Refugees in Jordan

I examined how Syrian refugees in Jordan use informal communication networks to cope with restrictive socio-economic and legal conditions. Based on 11 semi-structured interviews with Syrian refugees in Jordan, I uncovered how wasta (an informal practice rooted in family and communal bonds) and other informal networks enabled refugees to secure work, housing, and daily necessities when the formal economy remained inaccessible. I identified three themes: wasta and collective solidarity, belonging and uncertainty, and scarce aid and NGO (mis)trust. Participants demonstrated that wasta served as both a cultural practice and a survival strategy, allowing refugees to navigate precarious labor markets, uncertainty, and limited support from humanitarian agencies. Examining Syrian refugees' informal communication networks in Jordan contributes a non-Western perspective to communication and refugee research on forced displacement and how refugees quietly cope together using informal networks.

Level thesis:degree_level

M.A.

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Al Meqdad, Hakem

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Pason, Amy M
• Brody, Evan

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Krueger, Benjamin
• Hartshorn, Ian M

• Informal Communication Networks
• Jordan
• Survival Strategies
• Syrian Refugees
• Wasta

Language dc:language.iso

en_US, English

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://scholarwolf.unr.edu/handle/11714/11402

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarwolf.unr.edu:11714/11402