Research Article

Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman

Number: 10 December 29, 2025
TR EN

Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman

Abstract

This study comprehensively examines the spatial, cultural, and social transformations pastoral nomadism has undergone in recent years in Batman region. Nomadism, a historical form of subsistence in southeastern Turkey, has undergone a transformation under the influence of modernization, spatial constraints, economic pressures and environmental changes. The research analyzes changes in migration timing, the structural transformation of migration routes, the differentiation of transportation modes, and trends toward sedentary lifestyles. Designed with a descriptive quantitative research design, the study conducted a face-to-face survey with 300 participants living in the rural areas of central Batman and the surrounding areas, who currently engage in pastoral migratory activities or have engaged in this activity for an extended period in the past. The findings indicate that the migration period has narrowed from the previous March–November period to April–September, weakening the harmonious nature of the pastoral cycle. Traditional pedestrian migration routes have largely been transformed into truck and lorries, a shift that has led to both economic and cultural disruptions. The majority of participants plan to transition to a settled lifestyle. In conclusion, while the pastoral nomad system in Batman is showing a tendency to disintegrate in the face of economic hardships, modern spatial policies, and lifestyle pressures, cultural belonging and memory-based living practices persist. The study demonstrates that pastoral mobility is strategically important not only economically but also in terms of cultural identity, spatial belonging, and social continuity.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Van Yuzuncu Yil University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit.

Project Number

SYD-2022-9955

Ethical Statement

I declare that scientific, ethical, and citation rules were meticulously adhered to throughout the preparation of this article; that all sources were properly cited; and that unethical acts such as plagiarism, forgery, distortion, and slicing were not committed in the study. Furthermore, this study required ethics committee approval, and the relevant approval was obtained, and the relevant document is attached.

Thanks

This study was made possible with the financial support of the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Van Yüzüncü Yıl University. I would like to thank the institution for their contributions.

References

  1. Ahearn, A. (2025). Mobile Pastoralist Geographies of Care: Mobility, Ethics, and Social Relations in Pastoral Landscapes. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 50(1), 45–61.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Rural and Regional Geography, Cultural Geography, Human Geography (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

December 29, 2025

Submission Date

October 20, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 19, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Number: 10

APA
Ertaş, N. (2025). Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman. Van İnsani Ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 10, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.62068/visbid.1806994
AMA
1.Ertaş N. Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman. Van İnsani ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 2025;(10):1-22. doi:10.62068/visbid.1806994
Chicago
Ertaş, Numan. 2025. “Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman”. Van İnsani Ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, nos. 10: 1-22. https://doi.org/10.62068/visbid.1806994.
EndNote
Ertaş N (December 1, 2025) Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman. Van İnsani ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 10 1–22.
IEEE
[1]N. Ertaş, “Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman”, Van İnsani ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, no. 10, pp. 1–22, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.62068/visbid.1806994.
ISNAD
Ertaş, Numan. “Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman”. Van İnsani ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 10 (December 1, 2025): 1-22. https://doi.org/10.62068/visbid.1806994.
JAMA
1.Ertaş N. Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman. Van İnsani ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 2025;:1–22.
MLA
Ertaş, Numan. “Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman”. Van İnsani Ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, no. 10, Dec. 2025, pp. 1-22, doi:10.62068/visbid.1806994.
Vancouver
1.Numan Ertaş. Transformation of Pastoral Migration Routes: Space, Memory, and Resistance in the Case of Batman. Van İnsani ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. 2025 Dec. 1;(10):1-22. doi:10.62068/visbid.1806994