Journals / Ortadoğu ve Göç / 2026 / Cilt: 16

“Between Us and Them” National Identification, Refugee Locus of Control, and Attitudes Toward Syrian Refugees in Türkiye

“Biz ve Onlar Arasında": Ulusal Kimlik Özdeşimi, Mülteci Kontrol Odağı ve Türkiye’de Suriyeli Mültecilere Yönelik Tutumlar

Deniz Antmen(OSMANİYE KORKUT ATA ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-9570-3363
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Publication Date
2026-05-04
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

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⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Drawing on survey data from 552 locals residing across 42 cities, the findings reveal that national identification is a strong positive predictor of negative attitudes toward Syrian refugees.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The prolonged presence of Syrian refugees in Türkiye has reshaped socio-political boundaries within the host society, rendering public attitudes toward refugees a critical object of inquiry.
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Key Findings & Data:Although prior research consistently demonstrates that stronger national identification is associated with negative refugee attitudes, the social psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship are less well understood.
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Conclusion & Impact:Drawing on survey data from 552 locals residing across 42 cities, the findings reveal that national identification is a strong positive predictor of negative attitudes toward Syrian refugees.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Türkiye · Mültecilere yönelik tutumlar · Kontrol odağı

Abstract

The prolonged presence of Syrian refugees in Türkiye has reshaped socio-political boundaries within the host society, rendering public attitudes toward refugees a critical object of inquiry. Although prior research consistently demonstrates that stronger national identification is associated with negative refugee attitudes, the social psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship are less well understood. Addressing this gap, the present study examines refugee locus of control as a key moderating mechanism shaping the link between national identification and attitudes toward Syrian refugees in Türkiye. Drawing on survey data from 552 locals residing across 42 cities, the findings reveal that national identification is a strong positive predictor of negative attitudes toward Syrian refugees. Crucially, refugee locus of control significantly moderates this relationship: when refugees are perceived as personally responsible for their circumstances, the association between national identification and negative attitudes is amplified. The moderating effect is particularly pronounced at low to moderate levels of national identification, highlighting the conditional nature of identity-based exclusion. Situated within a non-Western, high-stakes migration context, the findings underscore the importance of responsibility attribution processes in the formation of refugee attitudes and provide actionable insights for interventions aimed at mitigating identity-based hostility toward refugees.

Özet

Suriyeli mültecilerin Türkiye’deki uzun süreli varlığı, ev sahibi toplum içindeki sosyo-politik sınırları yeniden şekillendirmiş ve mültecilere yönelik kamusal tutumları önemli bir inceleme konusu hâline getirmiştir. Önceki araştırmalar, güçlü ulusal kimlik özdeşiminin mültecilere yönelik olumsuz tutumlarla ilişkili olduğunu tutarlı biçimde göstermesine rağmen, bu ilişkinin altında yatan sosyal psikolojik mekanizmalar yeterince açıklığa kavuşturulmamıştır. Bu boşluğu gidermeyi amaçlayan mevcut çalışma, Türkiye’de Suriyeli mültecilere yönelik tutumlar ile ulusal kimlik özdeşimi arasındaki ilişkiyi biçimlendiren temel bir düzenleyici mekanizma olarak mülteci kontrol odağını incelemektedir. 42 şehirde yaşayan 552 yerel katılımcıdan elde edilen anket verilerine dayanan bulgular, ulusal kimliğin Suriyeli mültecilere yönelik olumsuz tutumların güçlü ve pozitif bir yordayıcısı olduğunu göstermektedir. Daha da önemlisi, mülteci kontrol odağı bu ilişkiyi anlamlı biçimde düzenlemektedir: Mülteciler içinde bulundukları koşullardan kişisel olarak sorumlu algılandığında, ulusal kimlik özdeşimi ile olumsuz tutumlar arasındaki ilişki güçlenmektedir. Bu düzenleyici etki özellikle düşük ve orta düzey ulusal kimlik seviyelerinde daha belirgindir; bu durum, kimliğe dayalı dışlamanın koşullu niteliğine işaret etmektedir. Batı dışı ve göçün yüksek risk taşıdığı bir bağlamda konumlanan bu bulgular, mültecilere yönelik tutumların oluşumunda sorumluluk atfetme süreçlerinin önemini vurgulamakta ve mültecilere yönelik kimlik temelli düşmanlığı azaltmaya yönelik müdahaleler için uygulanabilir çıkarımlar sunmaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Antmen, D. (2026). “Between Us and Them” National Identification, Refugee Locus of Control, and Attitudes Toward Syrian Refugees in Türkiye. Ortadoğu ve Göç, Cilt: 16. https://doi.org/10.31834/ortadoguvegoc.1894716

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