Zorunlu Göçmenler ve Entegrasyon: “Suriyelilerin Topluma Adapte Olabilmesi İçin Bu Ülkedeki Hukuki Statüsü Değiştirilmeli”

Abstract

When the humanitarian crisis broke out in 2011, millions of forced migrants took refuge from Syria to Türkiye. Political uncertainty continues in Syria and the hope of return for Syrians is decreasing. However, under the shadow of social and political debates about their repatriation, the integration of Syrians in Turkey is silently operating under the guise of harmonization. This study aims to comprehend the intricacies of the integration process as perceived by Syrian forced migrants. In this research, qualitative research methodology with a hermeneutic understanding and ethnographic design was used. For this reason, data are collected by making observations and 22 interviews during a long stay in the Hatay province, and these collected data are scrutinized by a combination of descriptive and content analysis. The findings of the study suggest that Syrian forced migrants, grappling with exclusion from the host society, tend to move away from integration, adopting a strategy of separation/segregation and exclusion. Moreover, Syrian forced migrants aspire to transition from a temporary protection status to a more permanent one, which underscores their desire for a more substantial integration. In this study, it is concluded that key elements such as cultural adaptation, positioning, interaction, and identification among Syrians in Hatay are not sufficiently developed. It is also concluded that Syrian migrants, rather than adopting practices conducive to integration, have majorly depended on adaptive tactics aimed at providing protection and social acceptance in their new space and society.

Keywords

• refugee integration
• social integration
• acculturation strategies
• syrians
• türkiye