Soma-Feminism | نسوية جسدية

Questionnaire: Distance and Siege – Bodily Testimonies

Introduction

This questionnaire is part of the the Soma-Feminism project,a space for documenting bodily experiences related to siege and distance in the Syrian context. There are no right or wrong answers. We are not looking for information,

But for layers of experience that do not usually find their way into language.

• Participation is entirely voluntary.You may skip any question you do not wish to answer.
• You may stop at any moment.
• What you write here will not be published or used as "research material" without your conscious consent.
• If you feel a question touches something sensitive, you may leave it blank.

We are looking for how,, not how much.For feeling,, not opinion.Write freely, and in the language of your body.

Blank Form (#5)

Section One:

Basic Information (Optional)

Are you a student?

Yes

Age (optional)

Region (optional)

Would you like your answers to remain anonymous?

Yes

Section Two:

For Students (Inside the Siege)

(If you are a student, answer the following questions. If not, move to Section Three.)

1. What does your body do before your mind decides?

When you wake up in the morning and do not know if the road is open, what does your body do before you think? Do your shoulder muscles tighten? Do you feel a heaviness in your chest? Do you reach for your phone before you know why? Where in your body does the road live?

2. Where do you carry the exam in your body?

When you think about the exam you did not reach, where do you feel it in your body? In your stomach? In your hands? In your neck? In your feet? Is there a difference between the body that goes to an exam in a safe place, and the body that crosses a barrier to arrive?

3. What distance do you keep between you and other students when you talk about the road?

When you talk with your classmates about the road, the barrier, or the exam, do you come closer or move apart? Do you lower your voices? Do you look around? Is there a new distance between your bodies that did not exist before the siege? What does this distance do to speech?

Section Three:

For People Inside the Siege (General)

(If you are a student, you may also answer this section if you wish. If you are not a student, this section is for you.)

1. How does your body prepare for a day when you do not know if the road is open?

When you do not know if the road is open, what does your body do? Do you wake up earlier? Do you wear different clothes? Do you take extra things with you? Do you teach your children something specific? What changes in your daily body when distance becomes unguaranteed?

2. What does your body do when you approach the barrier?

When you approach a barrier or checkpoint, what does your body do? Do you slow down? Do you hold your breath? Do you check your papers? Do you look into the eyes of whoever stands there? Is there a small movement your body makes without you thinking about it? And where did you learn it from?

3. Where does the siege live in your body?

After all these months, where do you feel the siege in your body? In your back when you carry things? In your hands when you count money? In your stomach when you think about tomorrow? In your sleep? What does the siege do to your body when you are not paying attention? And is there something in your body that resists?

Conclusion

Thank you for your time, and for your trust.
What you have written is not merely an answer, but a layer of your experience that may help us all see what is not usually seen.
If you wish to add anything else, you may use this space:

Free space:

Note:

You may send your answers in writing, or as a voice file via email, or in any form that is comfortable for you.
We are not looking for perfect language. We are looking for the language of your body..

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