Understanding and Measuring the Social Inclusion of Syrian Refugees in Istanbul: The Case of Zeytinburnu

Abstract

Abstract Based on survey data collected during 2016–2017 from 380 Syrians in Zeytinburnu, an inner-city district of Istanbul, Turkey, this article uses multidimensional scaling to measure their social inclusion. The study shows how the level of social inclusion, treated as a dependent variable, changes with the refugees’ age, gender, education level, length of stay in Zeytinburnu, and health conditions. The sampled Syrians had high social inclusion index scores despite facing precarity at the time of survey. This study suggests that refugee-friendly social contexts and policies can improve social inclusion.