Zahed Mukayed, a Syrian refugee living in Istanbul, and Ezgi Irgil, a Turkish PhD student living in Sweden, discuss their research with Syrian refugees in Ezgi’s hometown of Bursa. They argue that a lack of Turkish government action on settlement or resettlement for refugees creates distrust and uncertainty. This disrupts everyday life, as Syrian parents worry about the future of their children should they remain in Turkey or return to Syria. This report focuses on three main concerns for Syrian children: potential statelessness, loss of the Arabic language, and racism.
Turkey
Ankara, Turkey
“It seems that the lives of the refugees living in Ankara have devolved into a constant negotiation, a duet between voices of welcome and voices of differential treatment from the larger society in Turkey. In this uncertain environment, refugees have been pushed into recurring cycles of starting and stopping of opportunities to sustain their communities.” Ankara resident Allan Cooper Dell explores the neighborhoods of Turkey’s capital city being transformed by Syrian refugees.