“Winners and losers of neoliberalism”: the intersection of class and race in the case of Syrian refugees in Turkey

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on the intersection of class and race in exploring Syrian refugees’ experiences of racism and the perceptions of the receiving society in Turkey. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Syrian refugees and the receiving society members who represent both low- and high-income profiles in Istanbul, Ankara, Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa, the article answers the question of whether racism is linked with class in Turkey. I argue that racism against Syrians in Turkey is driven not only by linguistic differences and supposed distinctions between cultural identities, but rather by the wealth and status of the refugees and those with whom they interact with in the receiving society. I further argue that these attitudes to class and race are, in Turkey, shaped by the neoliberal policies that deliberately favour the most prosperous and educated Syrian refugees.

KEYWORDS:

• Class
• race
• racism
• neoliberalism
• Syrian refugees
• Turkey

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 European Network Against Racism (ENAR) Shadow Report 2015–2016. “Racism and Discrimination in the context of Migration in Europe”. Accessed August 5, 2020. https://www.enareu.org/IMG/pdf/shadowreport_2015×2016_long_low_res.pdf.

2 DGMM (Directorate General of Migration Management) Figures. Accessed November 5, 2020. DGMM (Directorate General of Migration Management) Figures. Accessed November 5, 2020. http://www.goc.gov.tr/icerik6/gecici-koruma_363_378_4713_icerik.

3 UNHCR- Syria Regional Refugee Response. Accessed November 5, 2020. http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/country.php?id=224

4 DGMM (Directorate General of Migration Management) Figures. Accessed November 5, 2020. http://www.goc.gov.tr/icerik6/gecici-koruma_363_378_4713_icerik.

5 The Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV)’s report on Syrian businesses. 2018, Accessed October 17, 2020. http://www.tepav.org.tr/upload/files/15305181213.TEPAV_Suriye_Sermayeli_Sirketler_Bulteni___Mayis_2018.pdf.

6 Mülteciler Derneği. “Syrians in Turkey”. 2019. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://multeciler.org.tr/turkiyedeki-suriyeli-sayisi/

7 See Note 6 above.

8 “Turkey says three million could return to safe zone in Syria”. BBC News. 16 September 2019. Accessed October 19, 2020. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49719284