Are Refugee Workers ‘Peers’, ‘Competitors’, or Both? Socioeconomic Justifications of Boundary Work Through the Lens of Native Employees

ABSTRACT This article addresses under‐explored aspects of boundary‐drawing, focusing on how dominant groups draw and reproduce boundaries in informal workplace settings. Based a on micro‐level study in Adana, Turkey, a secure economic hub in the proximity of the conflict region, it investigates how native Turkish employees interact with Syrian peers in labour‐intensive sectors. Specifically, it explores what defines Syrian workers as ‘peers’ and how Turkish employees position themselves differently in everyday work life in relation to power dynamics. Drawing on ethnographic observations and in‐depth interviews, the study reveals that socioeconomic boundaries are prominent among Turkish employees but manifest in varied ways. Importantly, these boundaries are not solely driven by economic concerns; they also reflect how dominant group members legitimise their standing within a work environment compared to Syrian coworkers. This research contributes to understanding the nuanced processes through which workplace hierarchies and social divisions are maintained in informal economies.