Integration Policies, Practices and Experiences : Turkey Country Report

This Integration in Turkey Country Report focuses on integration policies, practices and responses to refugee immigration between 2011 and 2019. The report is composed of two main parts. First, the report defines integration according to EU guidelines and specifically as “differential inclusion” (Cases-Cortes et al 2015, p. 79-80). It provides an overview of Turkey’s integration policy discourses, in particular the evolution of “guest,” “charity,” “hospitality” and “social harmony” discourses prominent in the country. The report reviews the actions of the major integration governance actors, from the national and municipal levels to international, national and local organizations. It also points out that refugees and members of local communities are themselves major actors, not to be overlooked in our drive to measure official responses. Their perceptions are important for understanding cultural and religious dynamics and on-the-ground realities. Second, the report goes into detail for each of the major integration areas identified by the EU and scholars, namely, labor market, education, housing and space, health and citizenship