Basem Mahmud
University of Granada, Sociology, Post-Doc
- Ph.D. in sociology from the Freie Universität Berlin. My thesis is entitled “A grounded theory approach to understand... morePh.D. in sociology from the Freie Universität Berlin. My thesis is entitled “A grounded theory approach to understanding emotions and belonging in forced migration”. My doctoral project was funded by a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). I obtained my Licenciatura (equivalent to a Bachelor and Master´s degree) in Sociology from the University of Granada (2012). I also hold a Master’s degree in “Arab and Hebrew culture: past and present” from the same university (2013). In 2019, I obtained a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018) for a new project, with the University of Granada (began in October 2019)edit
This research investigates the experience of vulnerable refugee workers in the clothing industry in Istanbul. We conducted qualitative research based on 28 interviews with Syrian women, minors, and youth adults who began working in this... more
This research investigates the experience of vulnerable refugee workers in the clothing industry in Istanbul. We conducted qualitative research based on 28 interviews with Syrian women, minors, and youth adults who began working in this industry as minors. The result demonstrates that they work in the lowest position in the organizational structures, usually as errand-boys (especially minors), and finishers (especially women) in the final
stage of production. We also found that, Women prefer working in small workshops near home, because it offers them more flexibility and allows them to combine work with home caring duties. However, the owners of these workshops often exploit their insecurity and need for more flexibility by drastically reducing their salaries under the guise of a compromise. This research also demonstrates the significance of spaces of encounters
between employer-employee outside of the power relationships to better understand the experience of these workers. Furthermore, it appeared that physical health seems to occupy a central position in the discourses of women refugees about their well-being. However, our research also demonstrates the need to consider minors' claims of belonging as an urgent issue for their subjective wellbeing and integration. These minors are aware of their parents' reliance on their income, but also of their parents' feelings of guilt for allowing them to work in such conditions. Therefore, they avoid expressing or revealing their daily suffering at work
to their families and ultimately remain alone while facing dismal working conditions.
stage of production. We also found that, Women prefer working in small workshops near home, because it offers them more flexibility and allows them to combine work with home caring duties. However, the owners of these workshops often exploit their insecurity and need for more flexibility by drastically reducing their salaries under the guise of a compromise. This research also demonstrates the significance of spaces of encounters
between employer-employee outside of the power relationships to better understand the experience of these workers. Furthermore, it appeared that physical health seems to occupy a central position in the discourses of women refugees about their well-being. However, our research also demonstrates the need to consider minors' claims of belonging as an urgent issue for their subjective wellbeing and integration. These minors are aware of their parents' reliance on their income, but also of their parents' feelings of guilt for allowing them to work in such conditions. Therefore, they avoid expressing or revealing their daily suffering at work
to their families and ultimately remain alone while facing dismal working conditions.
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Refugees and asylum seekers' views of legal recognition and its consequences for their integration Oct 6, 2020 | General content | 0 comments Blog post by Basem Mahmud* who holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Free University Berlin. His... more
Refugees and asylum seekers' views of legal recognition and its consequences for their integration Oct 6, 2020 | General content | 0 comments Blog post by Basem Mahmud* who holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Free University Berlin. His dissertation was entitled 'A Grounded Theory Approach to Understanding Emotions and Belonging in Forced Migration'. Currently, he is a Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellow at the University of Granada, and visiting researcher at the Migration Research Center (MiReKoc) at Koç University in Istanbul where he is conducting research about refugees in the global economy.
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This article examines the circulation of works produced by Jewish translators and authors whose ideas were based on Averroes’ philosophy during the 13th century. The objective is to determine the general features of Hebraic Averroism and... more
This article examines the circulation of works produced by Jewish translators and authors whose ideas were based on Averroes’ philosophy during the 13th century. The objective is to determine the general features of Hebraic Averroism and its development in the socio-cultural context of this period. Aristotelianism was initially used to combat and defend against criticisms of «other beliefs» threatening the identity of the Jewish community, and to combat Jewish anti-rationalists. Because of a worsening situation and great social division in Jewish society at the end of the 13th century, Jewish Averroists prioritized the search for a solution that could guarantee unity of the community, that is, making religion (Judaism) and philosophy (Aristotelianism) live together in peace.
This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical studies on emotions in migration studies to determine the state of the art as well as to identify gaps. In addition to the three main approaches to understanding forced migrants' emotional... more
This paper reviews the theoretical and empirical studies on emotions in migration studies to determine the state of the art as well as to identify gaps. In addition to the three main approaches to understanding forced migrants' emotional lives (extraordinary, everyday encounters, and therapeutic), this paper identifies different types of empirical research informed by these theoretical perspectives. They focus on: the impact of the context of migration, emotions during a specific stage of the journey, and the emotions, values, and traditions that forced migrants bring with them to the destination country. This literature review led to determining the most relevant tendencies and considerations. Due to the dominance of the therapeutic and extraordinary approaches, there is a need to (1) explore further the role of emotions in forced migration; (2) look at how forced migrants construct their emotions without losing the context (where, why and when); (3) investigate other functions of emotions or to ask how forced migrants make sense of their experience of violence, torture…etc.; (4) take into consideration the whole journey from beginning to end; (5) develop a theory based on empirical data which explains the interaction between emotions and belonging.
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تـهـدف هــذه الــدراســة إلــى الـتـعـريـف بــواحــد مــن أحــدث الـتـخـصـصـات الـسـوسـيـولـوجـيـة )سـوسـيـولـوجـيـا االنـفـعـاالت( مـن خـال عـرض أهـم الـنـظـريـات الـمـعـاصـرة فـي هـذا الـمـجـال )الثقافية، التفاعلية الـرمـزيـة، الـقـوة... more
تـهـدف هــذه الــدراســة إلــى الـتـعـريـف بــواحــد مــن أحــدث الـتـخـصـصـات الـسـوسـيـولـوجـيـة
)سـوسـيـولـوجـيـا االنـفـعـاالت( مـن خـال عـرض أهـم الـنـظـريـات الـمـعـاصـرة فـي هـذا الـمـجـال
)الثقافية، التفاعلية الـرمـزيـة، الـقـوة والمكانة، الشعائرية، الـتـبـادل االجتماعي، والممارسة
االنـفـعـالـيـة( وتـقـديـم مقترحات منهجية مبنية على دراسـة ميدانية على عينة مـن 33 ً الجئا
ًّـا فـي برلين بين 2015 - 2017 باستخدام إجـراءات النظرية المجذرة
البنائية. بهذه الطريقة، تسلط هذه الدراسة الضوء على أبرز النظريات السوسيولوجية في َ وطـالـب ٍ لـجـوء سـوري
هـذا الـمـجـال، وفـي الـوقـت نفسه توضحها مـن خـال نـمـوذج تطبيقي على حالة االنفعاالت
والشعور بالبيت في سياق الهجرة القسرية.
This paper aims to introduce one of the most recent sociological disciplines (sociology of emotions) by presenting the most relevant contemporary theories in this
field (cultural, symbolic interactionism, power and status, ritual, social exchange, and
emotional practices). It provides methodological suggestions based on a field study
with 33 Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Berlin between 2015-2017 using the
constructivist grounded theory procedures. In this way, this paper sheds light on the
latest theoretical sociological trends that study emotions and feelings, and it clarifies
them through an applied model on the case of emotions and feeling at home in the
context of forced migration.
)سـوسـيـولـوجـيـا االنـفـعـاالت( مـن خـال عـرض أهـم الـنـظـريـات الـمـعـاصـرة فـي هـذا الـمـجـال
)الثقافية، التفاعلية الـرمـزيـة، الـقـوة والمكانة، الشعائرية، الـتـبـادل االجتماعي، والممارسة
االنـفـعـالـيـة( وتـقـديـم مقترحات منهجية مبنية على دراسـة ميدانية على عينة مـن 33 ً الجئا
ًّـا فـي برلين بين 2015 - 2017 باستخدام إجـراءات النظرية المجذرة
البنائية. بهذه الطريقة، تسلط هذه الدراسة الضوء على أبرز النظريات السوسيولوجية في َ وطـالـب ٍ لـجـوء سـوري
هـذا الـمـجـال، وفـي الـوقـت نفسه توضحها مـن خـال نـمـوذج تطبيقي على حالة االنفعاالت
والشعور بالبيت في سياق الهجرة القسرية.
This paper aims to introduce one of the most recent sociological disciplines (sociology of emotions) by presenting the most relevant contemporary theories in this
field (cultural, symbolic interactionism, power and status, ritual, social exchange, and
emotional practices). It provides methodological suggestions based on a field study
with 33 Syrian refugees and asylum seekers in Berlin between 2015-2017 using the
constructivist grounded theory procedures. In this way, this paper sheds light on the
latest theoretical sociological trends that study emotions and feelings, and it clarifies
them through an applied model on the case of emotions and feeling at home in the
context of forced migration.
Research Interests:
تقترح هذه الدراسة "النظرية المجذَّرة" Grounded Theory منهجيةً قادرةً على المساهمة في مواجهة أزمة التنظير وعلاقته بالواقع الإمبريقي، وهي من أهم العوائق التي تحول دون تأسيس علوم اجتماعية في السياق العربي. لذلك، تقدم عرضًا لهذه المنهجية... more
تقترح هذه الدراسة "النظرية المجذَّرة" Grounded Theory منهجيةً قادرةً على المساهمة في مواجهة أزمة التنظير وعلاقته بالواقع الإمبريقي، وهي من أهم العوائق التي تحول دون تأسيس علوم اجتماعية في السياق العربي. لذلك، تقدم عرضًا لهذه المنهجية وإجراءاتها، وطريقتها الاستقرائية التي تقود إلى بناء نظرية قائمة على البيانات الميدانية، وليس على نظريات مسبقة. كما تناقش الفوائد النظرية والعملية، لاعتمادها في البحوث الميدانية المتعلقة بالمجتمعات العربية، وتبحث التحديات التي قد تواجه المشتغلين فيها بصفة عامة، وفي العالم العربي خاصة، وتقدم بعض الأفكار والطرق للتعامل معها. ثم تخلص إلى جملة من المقترحات الضرورية لتعزيز ممارستها في الجامعات والمراكز البحثية العربية.
This paper suggests the grounded theory as a methodology that can contribute effectively and efficiently to confronting the crisis of theory and its relationship with empirical reality, which is one of the most significant obstacles to the production of social science in the Arab context. The paper presents this approach, its procedures and its inductive method, which is conducive to the construction of a theory based on empirical data and not on preconceived assumptions. It discusses the theoretical and practical benefits of its adoption in field research on Arab societies and the challenges which those who employ it may face, both in general and in the Arab world in particular, offering some ideas on how to deal with these issues. Finally, it concludes with several suggestions for enhancing its practice in Arab universities and research centers.
This paper suggests the grounded theory as a methodology that can contribute effectively and efficiently to confronting the crisis of theory and its relationship with empirical reality, which is one of the most significant obstacles to the production of social science in the Arab context. The paper presents this approach, its procedures and its inductive method, which is conducive to the construction of a theory based on empirical data and not on preconceived assumptions. It discusses the theoretical and practical benefits of its adoption in field research on Arab societies and the challenges which those who employ it may face, both in general and in the Arab world in particular, offering some ideas on how to deal with these issues. Finally, it concludes with several suggestions for enhancing its practice in Arab universities and research centers.
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This article investigates the intellectual production of Jewish authors influenced by Averroes in the 14 th and 15 th Centuries in northern Spain and southern France. The primary objective is to determine the main features of Jewish... more
This article investigates the intellectual production of Jewish authors influenced by Averroes in the 14 th and 15 th Centuries in northern Spain and southern France. The primary objective is to determine the main features of Jewish Averroism in this period, and to understand it within its socio-historical context. The outcomes suggest that there was a relationship between the new social and political trends toward democratization and reconciliation in the heart of Jewish communities on one hand, and the growing interest in Averroes' original works on the other. Original here means the works that are not commentaries or summaries of other works.
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El presente artículo estudia la circulación de las obras escritas por traductores y autores judíos que se basaron en Averrores durante el s. XIII, con el fin de determinar los rasgos generales del Averroismo hebraico y su desarrollo en el... more
El presente artículo estudia la circulación de las obras escritas por traductores y autores judíos que se basaron en Averrores durante el s. XIII, con el fin de determinar los rasgos generales del Averroismo hebraico y su desarrollo en el contexto socio-cultural de este periodo. Los resultados sugirieron lo siguiente; primero utilizaron el aristotelismo para luchar contra los ataques del otro, el cual amenazaba la identidad de la comunidad judía, así como para enfrentar los anti-racionalistas judíos. A partir del último tercio de este siglo, con la gravedad de la situación y la gran división social en la sociedad judía, los averroistas judíos dieron la prioridad a la búsqueda de una salida que garantiza la unidad de la comunidad, es decir, cómo hacer que la religión (judía) y filosofía (aristotélica) convivan en paz.
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This chapter examines the implications of the digital divide for e-commerce, particularly in southern Europe. We intend to analyze not only inequality in access to the Internet, but other forms of inequality: who shops through the... more
This chapter examines the implications of the digital divide for e-commerce, particularly in southern Europe. We intend to analyze not only inequality in access to the Internet, but other forms of inequality: who shops through the Internet (the consumers), what inequalities exist among firms that sell through the Internet (structure, sectors, size, etc.) and even with reference to prosumers (those persons that both buy and seek information from the Internet). Using a comparative methodology, we examine these issues in four countries – Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece – along with the average for the European Union (EU). Among the main conclusions: there is no Europe at two speeds, but rather at various speeds. Spain continues to be near the EU average; Italy remains off the track, overtaken by Portugal, which has climbed onto the tech wagon; and in last place is Greece, which, as a consequence of the economic crisis, finds itself far from the other countries in the region.
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Research Interests: Syrian Studies and Syria
Research Interests: Syrian Studies and Syria
Research Interests: Syrian Studies and Syria
Research Interests: Syria and Syrian Conflict
Research Interests: Syria and Syrian Conflict
Research Interests: Syria and Local Councils
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This study is part of the larger Syrian NGO Network Engagement and Partnership Programme, carried out by International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) in strategic partnership with UNDP Syria to deliver an engagement and partnership... more
This study is part of the larger Syrian NGO Network
Engagement and Partnership Programme, carried out
by International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)
in strategic partnership with UNDP Syria to deliver
an engagement and partnership programme with a
core group of Syrian non-governmental organization
(NGO) networks. This report is an ICVA product that
is supported by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) in Syria and local Syrian networks.
Its overall purpose is to strengthen the capacity
of Syrian NGO networks to enable them to play a
vital role in joint coordination and representation
by strengthening skills and capacity across a range
of areas including coordination, governance, and
strategic planning. Strengthening local humanitarian
actors and networks in Syria and the region is key to
a strong humanitarian response. International efforts
should supplement – not substitute – national and
local efforts.
Engagement and Partnership Programme, carried out
by International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)
in strategic partnership with UNDP Syria to deliver
an engagement and partnership programme with a
core group of Syrian non-governmental organization
(NGO) networks. This report is an ICVA product that
is supported by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) in Syria and local Syrian networks.
Its overall purpose is to strengthen the capacity
of Syrian NGO networks to enable them to play a
vital role in joint coordination and representation
by strengthening skills and capacity across a range
of areas including coordination, governance, and
strategic planning. Strengthening local humanitarian
actors and networks in Syria and the region is key to
a strong humanitarian response. International efforts
should supplement – not substitute – national and
local efforts.
Research Interests:
This country report is part of a broader multi-year comparative research project entitled Promoting Access to Justice through Victim Participation: Foregrounding Informal Processes, implemented by Impunity Watch and in partnership with... more
This country report is part of a broader multi-year comparative research project entitled Promoting Access to Justice through Victim Participation: Foregrounding Informal Processes, implemented by Impunity Watch and in partnership with research teams from six countries: Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guatemala, Indonesia, Syria, and Tunisia; and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.