Coping with immigration: The institutional and political dynamics of migration and asylum policy-making in Turkey

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi, İktisat Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2012

Öğrenci: EZGİ BERFİN ÜNSAL

Danışman: ONUR YILDIRIM

Özet:

As a country that is highly affected by the changing nature of international migration due to transformative forces of globalization, Turkey is now being defined as a country of both immigration and emigration. This thesis analyzes Turkish state’s international migration politics and policies with regard to recent global trends in migratory movements. It examines the underlying dynamics that govern the policy making processes and tries to identify the problems stemming from them. The primary goal of the thesis is to make an elaborate assessment of the existent institutional framework and to detect the presence of securitization paradigm in the political and legal setting of international migration in Turkey by means of qualitative research methods. It investigates how international pressures and trends, national interests, political considerations and especially the dynamics of fragmented institutional structure have affected policy making strategies. In view of these factors, the thesis suggests adopting a humanitarian approach towards refugees, asylum seekers and migrants that leaves political concerns behind and avoids securitization of the issue.