Mülteci Gastronomisi ve Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma: Gaziantep Örneği

Öz

Savaşlar, nüfus artışı, kıtlık ve ekonomik sorunlar nedeniyle dünya genelindeki mülteci sayısı 120 milyona ulaşmıştır. Mülteci sayısı son bir yılda %8,8 artmış olup, gerçek sayının resmi rakamların üzerinde olduğu tahmin edilmektedir. Gelecekte birçok toplumun mültecilik ve/veya göçmenlikle karşı karşıya kalacağı öngörülmekte, bu da mültecilerin yerleşik toplumlarla entegrasyonunu önemli bir konu haline getirmektedir. Yaklaşık %80’lik bir kesim kendi ülkelerine geri dönememekte, bu da ev sahibi topluluklarla entegrasyonu neredeyse zorunlu kılmaktadır. Tarih boyunca başarılı ve gelişmiş toplumlar, mültecilerin sahip olduğu insan kaynağını ve kültürel birikimi kullanarak hızlı kalkınma sağlamışlardır. Gastronomi, bu entegrasyon sürecinde stratejik bir rol oynamakta; kültürel engelleri aşan güçlü bir araç olarak mültecilerle yerel topluluklar arasında köprüler kurmaktadır. Mülteciler, geldikleri toplumlara taşıdıkları zengin kültürel mirası tanıtarak yalnızca kendi kimliklerini korumakla kalmaz, aynı zamanda bu mirasın sürdürülebilirliğini de sağlarlar. Bu bağlamda, gastronomi sadece kültürel sürdürülebilirliği desteklemekle kalmaz, aynı zamanda sosyal entegrasyonun bir aracı olarak da işlev görür. Bu çalışma, mültecilerin yerel halklarla entegrasyonunu kolaylaştıran bir araç olarak yiyecek ve gastronominin sürdürülebilir bir gelecek ve sürdürülebilir bir kültür inşasına nasıl katkı sağladığını tartışmaktadır. Mülteciler, gastronomi kültürlerini paylaşarak katıldıkları yeni topluluklara ekonomik ve sosyal değer katmakta; kültürel miraslarını gelecek nesillere aktararak hem yerel hem de kendi kültürel sürdürülebilirliklerini güvence altına almaktadırlar. Entegre oldukları toplumlara kültürel zenginlik ve çeşitliliğin etkili gücünü taşımaktadırlar. Bu süreçler, sürdürülebilir kalkınmanın temel unsurları olan sosyal uyumu, kültürel çeşitliliği ve ekonomik dayanıklılığı güçlendirmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, mültecilerin entegrasyonunun Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amaçlarına (SKA) nasıl katkı sağladığını ortaya koymak ve gıda ile gastronominin bu süreçte hangi spesifik hedeflere hizmet ettiğini belirlemektir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Gıda
• sosyoloji
• mülteciler
• kültür

Refugee Gastronomy and Sustainable Development: The Case of Gaziantep

Öz

The number of refugees worldwide has reached 120 million due to increasing wars, population growth, famine and economic problems. The number of refugees has increased by 8.8% in the last year, and it is estimated that the actual number exceeds official figures. It is also predicted that many societies will face refugee and/or migration situations in the future, making the integration of refugees with settled communities a significant issue. Approximately 80% of refugees are unable to return to their home countries, making integration with the host communities almost mandatory. Throughout history, successful and developed societies have used the human and cultural resources of refugees to achieve rapid development. Gastronomy plays a strategic role in this integration process, acting as a powerful tool that transcends cultural barriers and builds bridges between refugees and local communities. Refugees, by introducing the rich cultural heritage they bring with them to new societies, not only preserve their own identities but also ensure the sustainability of this heritage. In this context, gastronomy not only supports cultural sustainability but also functions as a means of social integration. This study discusses how food and gastronomy, as tools that facilitate the integration of refugees with local populations, contribute to the construction of a sustainable future and sustainable culture. By sharing their culinary cultures, refugees add economic and social value to the new communities they join while securing both local and their own cultural sustainability by passing their heritage on to future generations. They bring the effective power of cultural richness and diversity to the societies in which they are integrated. These processes strengthen social cohesion, cultural diversity and economic resilience, which are essential foundations of sustainable development. The aim of this study is to reveal how this process of integration contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to identify which specific goals are supported through the use of food and gastronomy as tools for refugee integration.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Food
• sociology
• refugees
• culture

Kaynakça

1. Referans1 Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. In J. G. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (pp. 241–258). Greenwood Press.
2. Referans2 Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The Location of Culture. Routledge Press Co., New York.
3. Referans3 Appadurai, A. (1981). Gastro-politics in Hindu South Asia. American Ethnologist, 8(3), 494–511. https://doi.org/10.1525/ae.1981.8.3.02a00070
4. Referans4 KEDV – Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work. (2025). Women’s Cooperatives Supporting Refugees and Host Communities. Retrieved May 11, 2025, from https://www.kedv.org.tr
5. Referans5 Al-Sayed, H. K., & Bieling, C. (2020). Food as a means of integration? Social cohesion and food-related initiatives for refugees in Germany. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22), 8433. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228433
6. Referans6 Terragni, L., Garnweidner, L. M., Pettersen, K. S., & Mosdøl, A. (2014). Migration as a turning point in food habits: The early phase of dietary acculturation among Somali women in Norway. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 53(3), 273–291. https://doi.org/10.1080/03670244.2013.817636
7. Referans7 Abbots, E. J. (2016). Approaches to food and migration: Rootedness, being and belonging. In E. J. Abbots & A. Lavis (Eds.), Why We Eat, How We Eat: Contemporary Encounters Between Foods and Bodies (pp. 33–52). Routledge.
8. Referans8 Long, K., & Ager, A. (2016). Refugee integration: Emerging insights from social science and policy. World Development, 89, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2016.08.002

9. Referans9 Hayes-Conroy, A., & Hayes-Conroy, J. (2017). Doing Nutrition Differently: Critical Approaches to Diet and Dietary Intervention. Routledge Press Co. New York.
10. Referans10 Carballo-Cruz, F., & Sáenz de Jubera, M. (2018). Food as a factor of social integration: Immigrant gastronomic initiatives in Spain. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 21(6), 703–720. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367549416682961
11. Referans11 Steinmeier, F. W. (2024, April 24). Döner is now a German national dish. Public statement during the Presidential visit to Turkey. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en
12. Referans12 Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce (GTO). (2024). Sectoral Firm Distribution and Refugee-Owned Enterprises Report. Unpublished internal data, cited in author’s analysis.
13. Referans13 Ministry of Trade, Republic of Türkiye. (2024). Registered Company Statistics by Sector and Province. Retrieved from https://www.ticaret.gov.tr
14. Referans14 UNESCO Creative Cities Network. (2025). Gaziantep: City of Gastronomy. Retrieved May 11, 2025, from https://en.unesco.org/creative-cities/gaziantep
15. Referans15 UNDP Turkey. (2021). Impact Assessment of Syrian Entrepreneurs in Türkiye. Retrieved from https://www.tr.undp.org
16. Referans16 İGAM – Research Center on Asylum and Migration. (2022). Refugee Entrepreneurship and Economic Inclusion in Turkey. Retrieved from https://www.igamder.org
17. Referans17 Kırkayak Kültür. (2025). Gastronomy and Cultural Dialogue Programs. Retrieved May 11, 2025, from https://www.kirkayak.org
18. Referans18 SGDD-ASAM – Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants. (2025). Culinary Workshops and Refugee Women’s Programs. Retrieved May 11, 2025, from https://www.sgdd.org.tr
19. Referans19 Mutfakna. (2025). Our Kitchen: A Solidarity-Based Vegan Restaurant in Gaziantep. Retrieved May 11, 2025, from https://www.kirkayak.org/mutfakna-3/
20. Referans20 Komşu Kafe Kolektifi. (2025). Food, Refuge, and Solidarity. Retrieved May 11, 2025, from https://www.komsukafekolektifi.org
21. Referans21 İncetahtacı, N., & Bayram, B. (2024). Refugee food initiatives and social inclusion in Turkey: Rethinking culinary agency. Unpublished manuscript.
22. Referans22 https://www.tobb.org.tr/TurkiyeTicaretSicilGazetesi/Sayfalar/Eng/AnaSayfa.php
23. Referans23 Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2017). Introduction: The discipline and practice of qualitative research. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (5th ed., pp. 1–26). SAGE Publications.
24. Referans24 Mason, J. (2002). Qualitative Researching (2nd ed., pp. 34-38). London: SAGE Publications.
25. Referans25 Yin, R. K. (2009). Case Study Research: Design and Methods (4th ed., pp. 15–19, 40–43). SAGE Publications.
26. Referans26 Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed., pp. 39-42). SAGE Publications.