Abstract
In Turkey today, one of the most frequently mentioned issues in the media is the influx of refugees, mostly from Syria. While most refugees are attempting to reach Europe by crossing through Turkey illegally, some consider Turkey an asylum center. This study used a phenomenological approach and qualitative experiment to determine how the phenomenon of refugeehood discussed in the media in Turkey affects children’s views on the issue. The sample was determined using the convenience sampling method, and 31 seventh-grade students (18 girls and 13 boys, all aged 14 years old) were selected. “Having previously met refugees” was used as a basic criterion in the selection of students, while classroom activities, letters, and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Descriptive and content analyses revealed that there were both positive and negative changes in students’ views regarding refugees, depending on the content of the news in the media, which was an important factor in influencing these changes.
Highlights
One of the most important issues on the world agenda today concerns refugees, who are known in international law as asylum seekers and immigrants (Boztepe, 2017; Nurdoğan et al, 2016)
In the report prepared by the Turkish Center for International Relations and Strategic Analysis (TÜRKSAM) in 2018, it was indicated that nearly half of the Turkish people (42%) held negative views regarding Syrian refugees (Tümeğ, 2018)
The results obtained in preliminary interviews within the scope of this study are consistent with the results achieved by Tümeğ (2018), Erdoğan (2017), and Özdemir (2017)
Summary
One of the most important issues on the world agenda today concerns refugees, who are known in international law as asylum seekers and immigrants (Boztepe, 2017; Nurdoğan et al, 2016). These three terms denote concepts that differ from each other significantly, they are often used interchangeably. An immigrant is someone who leaves his or her own country willingly for various reasons (Akbatur, 1996; Nurdoğan et al, 2016), including under negative conditions, such as economic problems and war, in an individual’s own country (Çakran & Eren, 2017). While immigrants can go back to their native land whenever they want, it is not possible for refugees to return as long as such conditions remain unsafe (Bernard, 1976)
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