Zahra Darvishpour

I am a PhD researcher in Gender Studies at Åbo Akademi University, where my doctoral project Narratives of Single Immigrant Mothers in Sweden: Challenges and Privileges examines the lived experiences of recently arrived Afghan single mothers. My study explores the experiences of recently arrived single immigrant mothers in Sweden, with a particular focus on Afghan mothers. This study adopts an intersectional approach to examine how factors such as ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, and asylum processes shape the lived experiences of Afghan single mothers in Sweden. Using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 Afghan single mothers, this research seeks to understand their mothering strategies, coping mechanisms, and the resources available to them. By centering the voices of these women, the study aims to contribute to feminist migration research and offer insights into the ways in which single immigrant mothers exercise agency while confronting systemic barriers in Swedish society.

In parallel with my doctoral research, I teach and supervise in Social Work at Mälardalen University, with a particular focus on gender, family conflicts, and gender-based violence.

My broader research interests include gender-based and honour-related violence, intersectionality, feminist media studies, and the transformation of masculinities. Alongside academic research, I have led several externally funded projects on citizen journalism, feminist creative writing, and anti-discrimination work, and I chair the civil society network Men Against Honor-Related Violence based in Sweden.