In 1998, the Linkage Act came into effect in the Netherlands, linking the right to social benefits to a residence permit. Migrants who were unable to claim a residence permit, were to be deported....Show moreIn 1998, the Linkage Act came into effect in the Netherlands, linking the right to social benefits to a residence permit. Migrants who were unable to claim a residence permit, were to be deported. Fifteen Turkish women resisted the Linkage Act, and went on a hunger strike for 39 days. Women, who were also mothers, going on a hunger strike was a new phenomenon in the Netherlands. This thesis analyses the following research question: 'How and why did the fifteen Turkish women decided to go on a hunger strike and use it as a method of protest?' This thesis aimed to answer this question by using interviews with the hunger strikers together with an analysis on gender, motherhood, support, and avoiding a precedent.Show less
