Papers by MEHMET GÖKAY ÖZERIM
This article discusses whether it is possible to frame anti-refugee discourse on social media as ... more This article discusses whether it is possible to frame anti-refugee discourse on social media as a form of populism by analysing the case study of the hashtag #u¨lkem-desuriyeliistemiyorum (#IdontwantSyriansinmycountry), which emerged on Twitter in Turkey in 2016. Both network analysis and discourse analysis are used in order to delineate the characteristics of the tropes associated with the hashtag, to identify the existence of populist elements, as well as to scrutinize the linkage of the hashtag with the broader political context. The study shows that some elements of a populist discourse clearly exist (simple and popular discourse, anti-foreigner), while some others are missing (the existence of a leader). Most importantly, the discussion of the other elements (dichotomous views, othering and anti-elite) highlight the need to better conceptualize and contextualize these features to understand the connection between anti-elite (populism) and anti-foreigner discourses (nativism), the impact of tagged tropes such as a hashtag that can poke holes in echo chambers and the distinction between the concepts of anti-elitism and anti-establishment (especially in specific political contexts such as Turkey).
Nostalgia and Hope: Intersections between Politics of Culture, Welfare, and Migration in Europe , 2020
In spite of Turkey’s long history of candidacy to European Union (EU) membership, intense trade r... more In spite of Turkey’s long history of candidacy to European Union (EU) membership, intense trade relations with European countries and the presence of Turks as one of the largest minority ethnic groups in Europe, Turkey and Turkish immigrants have still been instrumentalized as politically polarizing issues in European societies. This study aims to provide a comparative analysis of this instrumentalization process in European politics by asking how Turkish immigrants and Turkey are presented as a culturally polarizing issue within the framework of “cultural security” by right-wing populist political discourse. In this regard, three specific cases are analyzed by focusing on the instrumentalization of Turkish immigrants and Turkey’s accession to the EU. The first case is the Brexit referendum process in the United Kingdom (UK), especially the Vote Leave campaign. The second case is the Austrian domestic politics, in the aftermath of the “refugee (reception) crisis” and eve of the 2016 Austrian Presidential elections. The third case is the rise of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Germany and its entrance to German federal parliament.
Journal of Refugee Studies, 2020
This article discusses whether it is possible to frame anti-refugee discourse on social media as ... more This article discusses whether it is possible to frame anti-refugee discourse on social media as a form of populism by analysing the case study of the hashtag #u¨lkem-desuriyeliistemiyorum (#IdontwantSyriansinmycountry), which emerged on Twitter in Turkey in 2016. Both network analysis and discourse analysis are used in order to delineate the characteristics of the tropes associated with the hashtag, to identify the existence of populist elements, as well as to scrutinize the linkage of the hashtag with the broader political context. The study shows that some elements of a populist discourse clearly exist (simple and popular discourse, anti-foreigner), while some others are missing (the existence of a leader). Most importantly, the discussion of the other elements (dichotomous views, othering and anti-elite) highlight the need to better conceptualize and contextualize these features to understand the connection between anti-elite (populism) and anti-foreigner discourses (nativism), the impact of tagged tropes such as a hashtag that can poke holes in echo chambers and the distinction between the concepts of anti-elitism and anti-establishment (especially in specific political contexts such as Turkey).
Il confine mediterraneo: L’Europa di fronte agli sbarchi dei migranti, 2018
Iniziata nel 2011, la guerra civile siriana ha reso i flussi migratori dal Medio Oriente e dal No... more Iniziata nel 2011, la guerra civile siriana ha reso i flussi migratori dal Medio Oriente e dal Nord Africa (MENA) più visibili in Europa. Il prolungato conflitto in Siria ha stimolato questi flussi attraverso diverse rotte e il numero di rifugiati arrivati nell'Unione europea ha raggiunto un picco nel 2015. Mentre molti siriani hanno dovuto affrontare una crisi umanitaria a causa del conflitto, gli sviluppi successivi sono stati considerati una "crisi dei rifugiati" anche per l'Europa, com'è emerso nel corso di dibattiti in campo politico, sociale ed economico.
Women's Economic Empowerment in Turkey, 2019
Migration Letters, 2019
After the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, Turkey undertook a prominent role by becoming the l... more After the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, Turkey undertook a prominent role by becoming the leading host country for Syrian refugees. The volume of the flow and the urgency of the refugees' situation have necessitated the involvement of several actors apart from the state. This study reveals and discusses the role of non-state actors in managing refugees through a field study on Syrians in the Turkish city of Mersin. The role of non-state actors in this process is analysed by discussing and presenting (i) their profiles, (ii) the major types of activities and services that they provide for refugees and; (iii) their contribution to integrating Syrians in Turkey.
Göç Dergisi, 2019
Dünya artan bir şekilde birbiriyle daha derinden bağlantılı hale gelirken, insan hareketliliği bu... more Dünya artan bir şekilde birbiriyle daha derinden bağlantılı hale gelirken, insan hareketliliği bu süreci etkileyen ve süreçten etkilenen önemli bir kavram olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Küreselleşme olarak anılan bu hızlı dönüşüm süreci, insan hareketliliğine ivme sağlamaktadır. Bununla birlikte süreç diğer yandan bu hareketliliği daha düzenli, daha kontrol edilebilir hale getirip, kayıpların minimuma indirilmesinde etkin inisiyatiflerin geliştirilmesi konusunda uluslararası işbirliği için zorlayıcı nedenler ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Zira Suriye krizi ile bir kez daha gün yüzüne çıktığı üzere hareketlilik, salt bölgesel çabalarla değil, küresel boyutta ele alınması gereken bir kavramdır. Bu vesile ile ortaya çıkan bir diğer unsur ise, geliştirilecek inisiyatiflerin yine salt hedef ülke odaklı değil, kitlelerin kırılganlıklarının göz önünde bulundurularak tasarlanması gerekliliğidir. Bu noktada, 2016'da BM öncülüğünde alanda sorumluluk paylaşımına yön verecek, göç ve mülteci kavramlarını beraberce ele alacak bir mutabakatın tamamlanması için BM üye ülkelerinin bir araya gelmeleri oldukça önemli bir adımdır. Bu adım, içerisinde 23 temel hedefi barındıran Küresel Göç Mutabakatı'nın 2018 Aralık ayında tamamlanması ile nihayetlenmiştir. Başlangıçtaki katılım hevesini yitirse de, umut veren içeriği ile alana yeni bir soluk getireceğine inandığımız bu Mutabakatı Mülteci Mutabakatı ile birlikte dergimizin bu sayısının sunuş bölümünde mercek altına aldık. Analizimiz, Göç ve Mülteci Mutabakatları'nı hızlı değişim süreci olarak küreselleşme bağlamında çatışma ve kriz kavramları çerçevesinde incelemektedir. Burada eleştirel bir yaklaşım ile mutabakatlara yönelik beklentileri ele alırken, metinde yer alan kısıtlara da değindik. Mutabakatların hareketliliğe bütüncül yaklaşan dilini ve uluslararası işbirliği çabalarının bir yansıması olmasını oldukça değerli görmekle beraber, hedef kitlenin kırılganlıklarına ve ihtiyaçlarına cevap verme noktasında gelişmeye ihtiyaç duyduğunu düşünmekteyiz.
One common characteristic of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries that have experienced ... more One common characteristic of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries that have experienced internal conflicts in recent decades is their large youth cohorts, known as the youth bulge. As Turkey also has a youthful population, it raises the question of whether this will represent a threat rather than an opportunity for the society. This study investigates this question by identifying the major factors that can transform a youth bulge into a threat and analyses them comparatively for the specific case of Turkish youth. A novel set of factors is proposed that can be also used by further studies. The discussion related to these factors is organized under four major situations, namely (a) economic situation, (b) educational situation, (c) political situation and (d) cultural situation. The study concludes that while Turkey differs from most of the MENA region countries in terms of these structural factors, it tends to lag behind the average international standards, which leave young people in Turkey in a limbo between becoming an opportunity for the future of society or a challenge.
Opportunities and Threats in European Integration and Turkey-EU-Relations after Brexit Edited By E. Esen and D. Sekeroglu (Peter Lang Publishing Group)
Immigration has been one of the most controversial issues both before and
after the United Kingdo... more Immigration has been one of the most controversial issues both before and
after the United Kingdom’s referendum on whether or not to leave the European Union, also known as Brexit. However, the function of the discourse on immigration during the referendum process shows that immigration is not limited to the problem of refugees. Debates on immigration include the status of immigrants already living in the UK, the
status of other EU citizens working in the UK, the post-Brexit situation of British citizens living in other EU countries, and the threat of increasing xenophobia. This study analyses the contexts and ways in which the immigration issue was used during the referendum process by examining these debates before and after the referendum.
BREXIT – Elveda Avrupa: İngiltere’nin AB’den Ayrılmasından Sonra Avrupa Bütünleşmesi ve Türkiye‐AB İlişkilerinde Fırsatlar ve Tehditler, 2017
BETWEEN INSECURITY AND HOPE : Reflections on youth work with young refugees / Council of Europe and European Commission Knowledge Book, 2018
İlk aşaması 1960'lar itibariyle hız kazanan bölgeselleşme hareketleri ve işbirlikleri, farklı işl... more İlk aşaması 1960'lar itibariyle hız kazanan bölgeselleşme hareketleri ve işbirlikleri, farklı işlevlerde ve yapılanmalarda birçok bölgesel örgütlenme girişimini de beraberinde getirmiştir. Bu yapılanmalardan AB, NAFTA ve MERCOSUR gibi daha sağlam temeller üzerine kurulanlar, ortaya çıktıkları coğrafyaların küresel politikadaki rolüne de bağlı olarak, kapsamı ve etkinliği değişmekle birlikte, uluslararası ilişkilerin önemli birer aktörü haline dönüşmüşlerdir. Ekonomik ve ticari işbirlikleri üzerinden yapılanan bu girişimler sadece finans ve mal hareketliliği ile sınırlı kalmamış, değişen derecelerde de olsa bireylerin hareketliliğini içeren öngörü ve düzenlemeleri de gündemlerine taşımıştır. Bu kapsamda, bölgesel örgütler göç konusunda işbirliğinin doğduğu bölgede başlayıp komşu coğrafyalara uzanabilen, daha ileri boyutundan bakıldığında uluslararası göçlerin küresel olarak şekillenmesini ve yönetişimini de etkileyen kural koyucu ve/veya gündem belirleyici aktörler haline gelmişlerdir. Bu çalışmada, uluslararası göçlerde etkin konumda olan aktörlere bölgesel örgütler çerçevesinde farklı analiz düzeyinde bir örnek sunulurken aynı zamanda bölgeselleşme süreçlerinde uluslararası göçlerin rolünün ne olduğu ve bölgeselleşme girişimlerinin ilerleme düzeyi ile uluslararası göçle ilgili konularda aktiflik düzeyi arasında nasıl bir ilişki bulunduğu sorularına farklı coğrafyalardan çıkarımlar paylaşabilmek amacıyla AB, NAFTA ve MERCOSUR örnekleriyle yanıt aranmaktadır.
Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, 2017
Migration, asylum and visa policies can function as tools of foreign policy while also marking sp... more Migration, asylum and visa policies can function as tools of foreign policy while also marking specific shifts in foreign policy choices. This study analyses the structural linkages of such policies with Turkish foreign policy through focusing on two distinctive foreign policy conceptions of two eras, namely during the ANAP (Motherland Party) and JDP (Justice and Development Party) governments. These eras present distinctive characteristics and noteworthy policy shifts for the instrumentalization of migration policies. This study argues that the nexus between migration and Turkish foreign policy manifests itself in three forms: (i) border and asylum policies as part of Turkey’s involvement in regional conflicts; (ii) visa policies for rapprochement with target countries and (iii) co-ethnics and kinship policies for extending spheres of influence.
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Papers by MEHMET GÖKAY ÖZERIM
after the United Kingdom’s referendum on whether or not to leave the European Union, also known as Brexit. However, the function of the discourse on immigration during the referendum process shows that immigration is not limited to the problem of refugees. Debates on immigration include the status of immigrants already living in the UK, the
status of other EU citizens working in the UK, the post-Brexit situation of British citizens living in other EU countries, and the threat of increasing xenophobia. This study analyses the contexts and ways in which the immigration issue was used during the referendum process by examining these debates before and after the referendum.
after the United Kingdom’s referendum on whether or not to leave the European Union, also known as Brexit. However, the function of the discourse on immigration during the referendum process shows that immigration is not limited to the problem of refugees. Debates on immigration include the status of immigrants already living in the UK, the
status of other EU citizens working in the UK, the post-Brexit situation of British citizens living in other EU countries, and the threat of increasing xenophobia. This study analyses the contexts and ways in which the immigration issue was used during the referendum process by examining these debates before and after the referendum.