AN INVESTIGATION OF SYRIAN ASYLUM SEEKERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD THEIR SITUATION IN TURKEY

Abstract

Syrians began to take refuge in Turkey on 29 April 2011 due to the civil war started in their country and their number in Turkey reached over 3.5 million by the year 2019 (Refugees Association, July 29, 2019). This study was conducted to examine the attitude of Turkey regarding Syrian asylum seekers. The sample group consisted of 233 Syrian people who were residing in two cities in different conditions in Turkey in 2017. The sample was selected among the Syrian asylum seekers by cluster sampling method. Research data were obtained using "Syrian Asylum Seekers’ Attitude towards Turkey Scale" developed by the authors. The relationship between this scale and demographic characteristics of the sample group was analyzed by calculating Pearson Correlation Coefficient. In findings sample group has a positive opinion about Turkey in general. But who are living in asylum seeker camps in Osmaniye have more satisfaction as an asylum seekers than those who are residents in Istanbul with their own facilities and limited state aid. Overall asylum seekers don’t participate that the problems caused by the Syrians in Turkey. Especially, those who living in Istanbul, who have a high level of education and who are responsible from less people were more opposed this idea.