Protracted Displacement and Invisible Future: Experiences of Urban Syrian Refugees in Irbid-Jordan
Dr. Ruba Al Akash

Abstract
Syria's three-year-long turmoil, which seems not coming to an end in the near future, enforced numerous Syrians to flee, millions have already displaced and uprooted, inside Syria and around in the neighbouring countries, including Jordan. More than half million refugees have sought a safe haven in Jordan. Increasing numbers among these, estimated to be in the tens of thousands, made the choice of leaving the refugee camps and head for Irbid and the surrounded villages instead, even if it means losing social and economic assistance from international and regional humanitarian agencies. Living scattered across Irbid’s neighbourhoods, those refugees found themselves under difficult conditions enforcing them to cope with new economic challenges and harsh social environments. By means of ethnography this article provides a critical understanding of Syrian refugees displacement experiences in Jordan. It will also explore local perceptions and attitudes towards Syrian refugees. Specific attention will be paid to refugee labour market and how displacement is playing a significant role in making life hardly bearable. Drawing on a wide variety of interviews conducted during fieldwork this article focuses in particular on displacement processes and the experience of urban Syrian refugees in Irbid city.

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