Migration of Iranian Women to the UK: Overview of Two Generations

Abstract

This research investigates the migration of Iranian women on two different periods of migration post Islamic Revolution of 1979. This research centres on two periods: the post revolution migrants second phase, who migrated after the Islamic Revolution and the post revolution migrants third phase, which are those who have migrated from Iran within the last ten years. This research focuses on the migration of fifteen Iranian women from these phases into the UK while exploring their motivations along with their working experiences narrated in their migration stories. This research seeks to understand and reveal the differences or similarities between both phases of post revolution migration. To achieve this aim, qualitative methodology is applied where semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data to identify different factors that explain the motivations to emigrate to the UK of fifteen Iranian women, who took part in this study. Research findings reveal that Iranian women migrated to the UK due to various factors such as to enjoy better opportunities in education and free political affiliation; to escape of anti-women laws in the home country; diverse economic reasons and marriage. All of these motives were directly or indirectly linked to the effects of Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran and the consequent changes in the socio-political context of the Iranian State, which has contributed to their decision to emigrate to the UK. In terms of the working experiences, the narrative experience of the women that emigrate to the UK during the second phase, it showed that they struggled more than the second group in their adaptation to the new environment. The experience of women of the second group that emigrated during the third period was completely different, because they adapted to the British working context easily as their testimony of their experiences showed it. This study will be comparing these two very different generations in their motivations to emigrate, their different expectations, and ways of adaptation in two very different historical periods.