Gendering activism, exile and wellbeing: Chilean exiles in the UK

Abstract

Drawing on the case of Chilean exiles in the UK this article looks at the experiences of exiles through a gender lens. The analysis argues for the need to recognise the gendered nature of spaces of political activism in order to highlight the contribution made by many Chilean women to life in exile. Using a gender lens sheds light on the multiple ways in which many women were indirectly the victims of abuse under the military regime and how this impacts on their mental health and wellbeing. The analysis also provides new insights into how forced migration impacts on gender roles and norms among those living in exile. The article primarily focuses on the experiences of women who arrived in the UK as the ‘wife of’ political activists, a group whose needs have been frequently overlooked.

Keywords:

• Chile
• exile
• forced migration
• gender
• health
• UK

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for all of their helpful comments on the article and in particular the anonymous referee who drew my attention to the work of Lowenthal and the specific quote cited in the text. I would also like to thank all of the participants who kindly gave up their time and shared their stories for the research.