Abstract:

As a result of the civil war in Syria, Turkey has faced unpredictable economic, political, social and cultural issues in the process that began with the acceptance of Syrian migrants since 2011. The settlement of migrants in the major cities of Turkey has raised the need for policy production in matters such as housing, health, poverty, employment, and the encounters of migrants with the indigenous people in the cities has caused ethnic and cultural tensions. In this context, the issue of Syrian refugees in Turkey has emerged. For the vulnerable groups within this population, it is also the subject of other specific problems. One of them is the risk of social isolation, poverty and social exclusion. In this study, which was carried out with a qualitative research design, it was aimed to evaluate the immigration experiences of Syrian refugees aged 55 and over in Turkey and in this context, the risks of social exclusion. Interviews were conducted with 20 Syrian refugees using a semi-structured questionnaire. The advantages/disadvantages created by the aging process of living conditions in Turkey after migration were discussed in the context of social exclusion, and the interviews were analyzed with descriptive qualitative analysis technique. According to the findings of the study, not being able to be included in the labor force emerges as the most important risk in terms of social exclusion. The fact that the elderly participants do not know the language creates a significant disadvantage in terms of participation in social life, and the decrease in relationship networks in old age also increases the risks related to social and health. Elderly refugees, who cannot take part in the social and economic spheres, are faced with risks such as sedentary living conditions, poverty and loneliness.

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