Articles

The Sisters’ House as an Intersectional, Feminist Reception Project for Migrant Women: Exploring the Concept of Constructive Resistance.

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Abstract

This paper investigates the Sisters’ House (SH), a woman-only, intersectional reception project for migrant women in Brussels. Originating from volunteers’ commitment to foster empowerment while addressing their specific needs, offering a ‘safe space’ that breaks the cycle of violence and trauma characteristic of their migration trajectories. This grassroots accommodation facility serves as a distinctive arena for pioneering inclusive reception practices. We analyze the SH project through the lens of constructive resistance – understood as ‘initiatives where people start to build elements of the society they desire independently of and in opposition to the dominant structures already in place’ (Sørensen et al., 2023:1). Specifically, we look at the feminist and intersectional principles underpinning the project’s vision, and its five axes of implementation. Ultimately, we innovate by highlighting how intersectionality enriches the current conceptual framework of constructive resistance. 

Keywords: Reception, Migration, Intersectionality, Constructive Resistance, Gender

How to Cite:

Garny, N. & Murru, S., (2024) “The Sisters’ House as an Intersectional, Feminist Reception Project for Migrant Women: Exploring the Concept of Constructive Resistance.”, DiGeSt - Journal of Diversity and Gender Studies 11(2), 81-99. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/digest.90129