Abstract:

Due to its geographical location, Turkey has become a country that is not unfamiliar with the phenomenon of 'migration' and where constant population movements are experienced. However, the Syrian migration, which started in 2011, differs from the previous ones in terms of the size of the population coming to Turkey and the shortness of the arrival time. This study also deals with Turkey's experience of Syrian immigrants within the framework of local dynamics and with an approach that does not ignore the religion factor. A new definition of 'crisis' is made by criticizing the term 'crisis', which is widely used in the literature for the process in question. It focuses on the justifications for the existence of social perceptions, which are sometimes a reflection of the one-dimensional approach of the media organs associated with the arrival of immigrants in Turkey, and sometimes expressed as a part of political polarization. In this context, in the light of research and statistical data, it is discussed whether these perceptions have concrete counterparts and the nature of the struggle against them. In addition, the relationship between the phenomenon of 'religion' in the society and the socio-cultural structure is related to the adaptation process of immigrants. In this context, the work of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, which is one of the important actors of the process in Turkey, that contributes to the "harmony of immigrants" is examined. In addition, the characteristics that make Turkey's experience of Syrian immigrants unique are discussed. The relationship between the 'religion' factor and these features is analyzed by emphasizing the dimensions of mutual interaction and complementarity. One of the most important contributions of the study to the relevant literature is that Turkey's experience of Syrian immigrants is handled from a more domestic perspective, away from Western, marginalizing and divisive 'crisis-chaos' discourses, taking into account the 'religion' factor.

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