Between life course regimes and biographical orientations: labour market trajectories of refugee mothers in Germany from a gendered perspective

After arrival, refugees face the challenge of reordering their biographies in new social contexts that are framed by certain life course policies, institutionalised bureaucratic processes and norms. How do processes of adherence to and adaptation of familiar routines and orientations take shape among refugee women with care responsibilities in Germany? Following on from existing literature on life course, refugee and biographical research, this article enriches current research by adding a gender-sensitive analysis of the labour market trajectories of refugee mothers in Germany. Based on biographically oriented interviews with 22 women with children who fled to Germany from predominantly Arab countries between 2015 and 2020, two findings are presented and discussed: a) different phases of arrival framed by different life course policies and norms unfold in various bureaucratic settings, and b) three different labour market orientations and strategies depending on the women’s biographical orientations, their renegotiation in unfamiliar environments and the life stage the women currently find themselves in. The results provide new insights into the biographical trajectories of refugee women’s labour market participation and challenge a predominantly static view of this group as homogeneous in terms of qualifications, care responsibilities and employment aspirations.