Dr. Medea Badashvili

Dr. Medea Badashvili is DAAD fellow at CeMig from July to November 2024. She serves as an Associate Professor at Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia, where she also heads the Master Program in Gender Studies. Holding a PhD in Human Geography, BA and MA in Socio-Economic and Political Geography, her research interests encompass a wide array of topics, including labor migration, refugee flows, gender equality, domestic violence, women’s economic and political empowerment. Her extensive teaching portfolio covers the courses on gender and migration, feminist theory, global health politics, agency, gender in Eastern European and post-soviet countries and many others.

Abstract of her research:
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022 has triggered a global political and security upheaval, causing a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and neighboring regions. Over 8 million Ukrainians have sought refuge in neighboring EU countries and post-soviet states, like Georgia. Medea Badashvili's research will focus on Ukrainian refugees in Germany, where over a million finding shelter and 180,000 in Georgia. Refugees, mainly women, children, and the elderly, face challenges of integration and adaptation. The study aims to explore the life narratives of Ukrainian refugees, particularly in women-headed households, to understand how displacement reshapes power dynamics and family decision-making. By examining issues of integration, assimilation, and maintaining cultural norms, the research seeks to provide insights into the challenges faced by refugees in adapting to their new societies in Germany and Georgia. This comparative study will contribute to understanding the experiences of Ukrainian refugees in different contexts, shedding light on their struggles and resilience in the face of displacement.