The Impact of the 1966 Earthquakes on Migration and Social Change: A Case Study of Varto (Türkiye)

Authors : Erdogan Gedik

Pages : 1183-1208

Doi:10.22559/folklor.3813

View : 100 | Download : 72

Publication Date : 2024-12-15

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This article examines the impact of the 1946 and 1966 Varto (Türkiye) earthquakes on migration and social change, with a particular focus on migration to Istanbul and Germany. Located at the intersection of sociology of disaster and sociology of migration, it explores how adaptation to new cultural contexts affected migrants’ social and cultural lives, particularly their marriage patterns, family structures, and gender dynamics, in part giving way to the emergence of the Almancı identity and the role and the importance of “home” and “homeland” for these migrants. The article also addresses internal migration to Istanbul, emphasising the significance of neighbourhoods, hemşehri relationships, and village associations as “buffer mechanisms,” which also caused to the revival of tribal structures within the context of migration. Drawing on the first-hand, personal accounts, I highlight the immediate trauma and loss caused by the earthquakes, reviewing the limited scientific research on the long-term social and psychological impacts of the disaster. I examine the social issues arising from “forced migration” after the earthquake, including state support and accommodation in boarding schools. Although these schools provided educational opportunities outside Varto, which facilitated social advancement, they also separated families from their children, profoundly influencing family structures. Finally, the article analyses the traditional architecture in Varto after the (1946 and) 1966 earthquakes, which developed not only as a post-earthquake reflection but also as a response to internal and transnational migration. Here, the focus is on the use of new materials and construction techniques, the integration of modern elements, and the associated shifts in local daily practices.
Keywords : deprem ve sosyal mühendislik, göç, travma, Almanya, sosyal değişim, hemşehri dernekleri, toplumsal cinsiyet