Browsing by Subject "Syrian refugees"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6

Open Access
The afraid create the fear: perceptions of refugees by ‘gün’ groups in Turkey
(Routledge, 2021) Özçürümez, Saime; Mete, Hatice
This study investigates the perceptions of the local female population towards displaced Syrians in Turkey. The research is based on the analysis of data from participant observation and discourse analysis of conversations in five ‘gün’ groups, which are informal, social, and fairly regular gatherings of local women, in Mersin in Spring 2018. Five common discursive patterns are identified: stereotyping, biased perceptions, ‘us’ vs. ‘them’, scapegoating, and discrimination. We conclude that local women’s discourses reveal marginalisation and discursive exclusion of displaced Syrians in Turkey, and argue that such othering originates not only from existing cultural differences, language barriers, and lack of trust, but also from lack of sustained social interaction between these groups. Further studies should facilitate both knowledge sharing about the additional vulnerabilities such attitudes create for displaced people and potential paths for meaningful engagement between local community members and forcibly displaced people.
Open Access
Hedonic consumption practices of the disadvantaged and their well-being outcomes: a multimethod research on Syrian refugees in Turkey
(2021-08) Baktır, Zeynep
Consumption may be a practical tool to cope with the challenges of displacement. While there is extensive research on vulnerable groups such as immigrants and the poor as consumers, research on refugee consumers is quite limited. Moreover, consumers are not equal when it comes to consuming certain products and services, and thus research on the hedonic consumption of refugees is far from preliminary exploration. This research aims to fill this gap by studying refugees’ hedonic consumption, its functional role as a coping strategy, and its potential unintended consequences. Such an approach is essential for the mutual understanding of refugees and their local hosts and a harmonious living together, as refugees are also part of the greater consumer society, which plays a substantial role in the proper functioning of everyday life. The dissertation starts with an introduction covering literature on related topics such as hedonic consumption, coping, prosocial behavior, and well-being. Then, the qualitative research methodology is presented, followed by the findings of the field study. A framework is proposed to illustrate the various well-being outcomes of hedonic consumption through social capital and psychological capital that help refugees cope in some distinct ways. Next, local prosocial tendencies resulting from refugees’ hedonic consumption are tested to illustrate the subsequent local backlash towards refugees. Finally, community well-being outcomes of entrepreneurship driven by hedonic consumption are presented with a model that brings forth the importance of trust in refugee-hosting communities. The dissertation ends with a summary and intended contributions. Implications for marketers and policymakers are also discussed.
Open Access
Internet and social media uses, digital divides, and digitally mediated transnationalism in forced migration: Syrians in Turkey
(Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc., 2021-08-27) Jauhiainen, J. S.; Özçürümez, Saime; Tursun, Özgün
This article studied Internet and social media uses, digital divides (access, use, and impact of the Internet and social media), and digitally mediated transnationalism in forced migration with the case of Syrians in Turkey. The mixed method analysis is based on surveys with 762 respondents, 52 interviews, and participant observations among Syrians in Gaziantep, Istanbul, and Izmir provinces in Turkey. Digitally mediated transnationalism became the everyday strategy, practice, and resilience of Syrians in Turkey. The first- and second-level digital divides, that is, the differences in their access to and use of the Internet and social media diminished while many third-level digital divides (impacts) remained. Syrians in Turkey used information and communication technologies, the Internet and social media for accessing basic needs and services, to enhance their challenging psycho-social well-being, to maintain transnational bonding and bridging connections to Syria, the European Union and elsewhere, and some also to implement their mobility plans.
Open Access
On the Border of the Syrian Refugee Crisis: Views From Two Different Cultural Perspectives
(SAGE Publications, 2018) Dimitrova, D. V.; Özdora-Aksak, Emel; Connolly-Ahern, C.
Since the Syrian refugee crisis represents the worst humanitarian crisis in modern history, it is critical to examine how global media covered this issue. Focusing on two nations significantly affected by the refugee crisis—Bulgaria and Turkey, this study employs a content analysis to examine differences in refugee portrayals in national media. The results show that Turkish media coverage was more personalized and more likely to emphasize the victim frame. In contrast, Bulgarian coverage was less personalized and more likely to emphasize the administrative frame. The findings are placed within national context and their implications for media framing of refugees are discussed.
Open Access
Syrian refugees to Europe: are they different from the non-Syrians?
(Taylor & Francis, 2022-11-07) Karcı, R.; Doğan, N.; Berument, Hakan
The conflict and violence in the Syrian Arab Republic have led to an increase in Syrians seeking asylum in European countries. In this study, asylum applications of Syrian refugees to European countries are examined, taking into account the geographical neighborhood effects, with annual data for the time period from 2009 to 2018. This paper also aims to compare asylum applications of Syrian to non-Syrian refugees. The estimation results suggest that positive previous asylum application decisions by the corresponding countries have explanatory power on asylum applications of Syrian and non-Syrian refugees. Economic conditions impact on asylum applications of non-Syrian refugees, while similar statistical evidence cannot be found for Syrian refugees. The empirical evidence from Syrian refugees also indicates a positive geographical neighborhood effect, which suggests that the relationship is stronger in countries that are closer to each other. However, the findings from non-Syrian refugees do not indicate that neighboring observations affect one another. Overall, this suggests that Syrian refugees do not move according to economic incentives but with previous asylum applications that resulted in positive and asylum applications in neighboring countries.
Open Access
Walking on a tightrope: challenges and opportunities for civil society organizations working with refugees and migrants in Turkey
(Springer New York LLC, 2021-01-19) Akşak, Emel Özdora; Dimitrova, D.
This qualitative study sheds light onto the working structures, make-up, and strengths and weaknesses of civil society organizations working with Syrian refugees in Turkey. The research includes 22 interviews with a variety of national and international civil society organizations (CSOs) and aims to reveal strategies they employ to communicate with and advocate on behalf of refugees. The strategies utilized by international and domestic organizations are compared and their relationships elaborated within the specific sociocultural and political context of Turkey. Results reveal that Syrian refugee advocacy in Turkey can be defined as a balancing act, where civil society organizations need to establish and nurture positive government relations, while engaging closely with their beneficiary communities and each other due to their mutually dependent funding and implementation arrangements, as well as work closely with the media to ensure effective advocacy.