Sub-Saharan African migrants in Turkey: a case study on Senegalese migrants in Istanbul

Abstract

Over the last two decades, Turkey has witnessed the arrival of people with different ethnic backgrounds including an increasing number of sub-Saharan African migrants. The presence of these migrants in Turkey has, however, largely been ignored academically. Based on only very scant empirical evidence, sub-Saharan African migrants in Turkey are commonly presented as a homogenous group and all are assumed to be transit migrants on their way to Europe. These assumptions have formed the basis for a policy attitude of ignorance towards these migrants. Drawing from ethnographic data collected among Senegalese migrants in İstanbul between 2010 and 2011, the article sheds light on this disregarded migration reality in Turkey. Adopting a case study approach, the main research objective is to comprehend the presence of a specific group of sub-Saharan African migrants in Turkey through an analysis of their migration aspirations. The main findings challenge on two fronts the prevailing assumptions about sub-Saharan African migrants in Turkey

Keywords

• Turkey
• immigration
• sub-Saharan African migrants
• Senegalese migrants
• transit migration

Türkiye’deki Sahra Altı Afrikalı Göçmenler: İstanbul’daki Senegalli Göçmenler Üzerine Bir Örnek Olay İncelemesi

Abstract

Son 20 yıldan bu yana, Türkiye, sayıları giderek artan Sahra altı Afrikalı göçmenler dahil olmak üzere farklı etnik kökene sahip kişilerin gelişine tanıklık etmiştir. Ancak, Sahra altı Afrikalı göçmenlerin Türkiye’deki varlığı akademik açıdan büyük ölçüde göz ardı edilmiştir. Sadece çok sınırlı ampirik kanıta dayanılarak, Türkiye’deki Sahra altı Afrikalı göçmenler genelde homojen bir grup olarak takdim edilmiş ve hepsinin, Avrupa’ya ulaşmaya çalışan transit göçmenler olduğu varsayılmıştır. Söz konusu varsayımlar, Türkiye’deki Sahra altı Afrikalı göçmenlere yönelik bilgisizlik politikasının temellerini oluşturmuştur. 2010 ve 2011 yıllarında İstanbul’daki Senegalli göçmenler arasında toplanan etnografik verilere dayanarak, bu makale, Türkiye’de görmezden gelinen bu göç gerçeğine ışık tutmaktadır. Vaka çalışması yaklaşımını benimseyen bu çalışmanın temel hedefi, Türkiye’deki Sahra altı Afrikalı göçmenler arasındaki belirli bir grubun varlığını, göç emelleri analizi üzerinden anlamaya çalışmaktır. Senegalli göçmenler arasındaki temel araştırma bulguları, Türkiye’deki Sahra altı Afrikalı göçmenler hakkındaki mevcut varsayımları iki önemli seviyede sınamaktadır.

Keywords

• Türkiye
• göç
• Sahra altı göçmenler
• Senegalli göçmenler
• transit göç

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