Refugee Women Teachers as Agents of Inclusion: Capability Expansion and Structural Challenges in Education

Abstract

This study explores how Syrian refugee women teachers working in Turkish public schools negotiate their professional identities, enact inclusion and confront systemic barriers within host educational systems. Guided by the human capabilities approach and inclusion theory, it examines how institutional structures influence the agency and development of refugee educators. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 32 participants, the findings reveal that these teachers take on complex roles, as educators, cultural mediators and emotional support systems for refugee students, often filling gaps left by insufficient inclusive practices. However, their ability to grow professionally is hindered by limited institutional support, linguistic and cultural exclusion, job insecurity and professional marginalisation. Despite these challenges, participants display strong agency through aspirations for pedagogical development, calls for recognition and efforts to foster inclusive school environments. The study argues for structural reforms that move beyond temporary accommodation, positioning refugee teachers as agents in educational equity and intercultural dialogue.