Navigating Liminality, Filial Duty, and Agency: Syrian Refugees in Switzerland Caring for Parents amid Protracted Humanitarian Crises

This paper examines the experiences of Syrian refugees in Switzerland, with a particular emphasis on the nexus of liminality, filial duty, and agency within the context of protracted humanitarian crises. By extending the concept of liminality transnationally, the study highlights the multiple, overlapping states of "in-betweenness" that Syrian refugees navigate and how this shapes their cultural obligation to care for parents left behind, as revealed through narrative interviews. The preliminary findings indicate that liminality is a multidimensional condition that exerts a significant influence on migrants' roles and responsibilities within the context of transnational family dynamics, particularly in the context of protracted humanitarian crises. This research underscores the need for migration policies to consider the complex realities of transnational caregiving and contributes to a broader understanding of forced migration within crisis contexts.