Educational Practices of Syrians in Türkiye on Facebook and the Formation of a Digital Diaspora: A Netnographic Study

Year 2025, Issue: Special Issue: Crisis Entangled – Reimagining the Social in Turbulent Times, 134 - 149, 30.10.2025

Deniz Aşkın

Abstract

This study focuses on the educational activities carried out by Syrians in Türkiye in the digital environment, within the theoretical framework of “diasporic education.” Diasporic education, which refers to the transmission of language, history, and cultural values that migrants reside outside their homeland and try to preserve and pass on to subsequent generations in the host country through formal and informal means, brings members together around shared values. However, due to both financial constraints and sociological reasons in Türkiye, these activities, which mostly take place in the digital sphere, also necessitate consideration of the “digital diaspora” debate among Syrians. At this point, groups established through Facebook's sharing network enable scattered migrants to communicate and interact, unite around fundamental values, and make efforts to preserve their shared identity codes and sense of belonging in a more economical and easier way. Based on data obtained from these Facebook groups, the study claims that Syria is conveyed among migrants on a nostalgic basis and that the values of the homeland are presented in an idealized manner. To such an extent that religious, cultural, historical, or language teaching activities by different groups aim to provide collective identity and belonging while also ensuring that the perception of the homeland is kept alive in the target audience. In this context, educational activities targeting different groups are carried out through decentralized and independent Facebook groups. The data collected through a netnographic method between April and December 2025 were analyzed within a sociological framework

Keywords

Syrians in Türkiye , Digital Diaspora , Diasporic Education , Collective Conscious

Türkiye'deki Suriyelilerin Facebook Ortamındaki Eğitim Faaliyetleri ve Dijital Diaspora: Netnografik Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Bu çalışma “diasporik eğitim” teorik arka planında Türkiye’deki Suriyelilerin, dijital ortamda gerçekleştirdikleri eğitim faaliyetlerine odaklanmaktadır. Göçmenlerin anavatan toprakları dışında ikamet ederken ev sahibi ülkede yaşatmaya ve sonraki kuşaklara aktarmaya çalıştıkları dil, tarih ve kültürel değerlerin formel ve enformel yollar ile aktarımına işaret eden diasporik eğitim, üyelerin ortak değerler etrafında bir araya gelmelerini sağlamaktadır. Ancak gerek maddi imkanlardan gerekse de Türkiye’deki sosyolojik nedenlerden dolayı ekseriyetle dijital alanda gerçekleşen bu faaliyetler, Suriyelilerde “dijital diaspora” tartışmalarını da düşünmeyi gerektirmektedir. Bu noktada Facebook paylaşım ağı üzerinden kurulan gruplar ile dağınık göçmenlerin iletişime ve etkileşime geçmeleri, temel değerler etrafında birleşmeleri, ortak kimlik kodlarını ve aidiyetlerini yaşatma girişimleri daha ekonomik ve kolay olmaktadır. Çalışma, söz konusu Facebook gruplarından elde edilen veriler doğrultusunda göçmenler arasında Suriye’nin nostaljik bir zeminde aktarıldığını ve anavatana ait değerlerin ideal zeminde sunulduğunu iddia etmektedir. Öyle ki, farklı gruplar tarafından dini, kültürel, tarihi veya dil öğretimi faaliyetleri kolektif kimlik ve aidiyetin sağlanmasını hedeflerken, anavatan algısının hedef kitlede canlı tutulmasını da sağlamaktadır. Bu kapsamda, merkezsiz ve bağımsız Facebook grupları üzerinden farklı hedef gruplarına yönelik eğitim faaliyetleri gerçekleştirilmektedir. 2025 yılının Nisan ve Aralık ayları arasında Netnografik bir yöntem ile elde edilen veriler sosyolojik bir zeminde analiz edilmiştir.

Keywords

Türkiye’deki Suriyeliler , Dijital Diaspora , Diasporik Eğitim , Kolektif Bilinç

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