Urban Responses to Forced Migration: A Comparative Study on Community Sentiment

Abstract

The multi-layered, complex and long-lasting Syrian civil war, as an extension of the Arab Spring that started in Tunisia in December 2010, has triggered one of the largest forced migration movements in recent history. Many internal and external factors such as the regime, sectarian divisions, regional/international interventions and the structure of the Syrian opposition have made Turkey one of the main countries hosting millions of refugees. This situation creates various social, economic and political effects on host societies, leaves deep marks especially on the perception of security. This study examines the physical security perceptions of local communities in Turkey. The province of Gaziantep, which has a high refugee density, and the province of Balıkesir, which has a low refugee density, were selected within the framework of the “Most Similar Systems Design (MSSD)” method. Although the socio-economic levels of both provinces are similar, the refugee density differs significantly. In the study, the perception of physical security was measured through the evaluations regarding issues such as violence, crime, terror and access to public services. The data collected through the survey revealed that the perception of threat towards refugees is significantly higher in Gaziantep compared to Balıkesir. It was determined that demographic variables such as education level, job security and local affiliation also affect these perceptions. The findings show that forced migration has multidimensional effects not only in terms of demographics but also social security. In this context, public policies should focus not only on crisis management but also on long-term social cohesion and improving security perceptions.