ONTOLOGICAL (IN) SECURITY AND MUTUAL RECOGNITION IN TÜRKİYE: INSIGHTS FROM NATURALIZED SYRIANS AND TURKISH CITIZENS

Authors : Hüseyin Arif Kınacı, Mehmet Akif Okur

Pages : 657-676

Doi:10.58884/akademik-hassasiyetler.1761961

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Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :This study examines mutual ontological (in)security between naturalized Syrians and native Turkish citizens. Based on the ontological security framework, it investigates how naturalized Syrians construct, perceive, and negotiate their sense of belonging (legal status and socio-emotional ties), identity, and recognition after naturalization, while also examining how native Turkish citizens perceive and interpret this newly naturalized group. Conducted using mixed methods, it combines semi-structured interviews with naturalized Syrians and two structured surveys targeting both groups. The findings reveal that while legal citizenship provides institutional access and official rights, it does not automatically guarantee emotional or symbolic belonging. Many participants report continued experiences of conditional acceptance and social exclusion even after naturalization. In contrast, many Turkish participants express concerns about cultural erosion, national unity, and the legitimacy of the naturalized population. Rather than presenting definitive conclusions, the study highlights areas of tension, partial recognition, and emotional dissonance. The analysis, structured around five thematic dimensions (anxiety, narrative, routine, space, and belonging), provides preliminary insights into how citizenship is experienced by immigrants and host communities after naturalization. The article is based on pilot data from a larger research project funded by TÜBİTAK 1001 (Scientific and Technological Research Projects Support Program), which also contributes to a PhD thesis conducted by the authors in a candidate–advisor collaboration. As a pilot study, the findings are not generalizable but offer initial insights into how legal inclusion interacts with emotional and social dimensions of belonging in post-naturalization contexts.
Keywords : Ontolojik Güvenlik/ Güvensizlik, Vatandaşlık, Aidiyet, Türk Vatandaşı Suriyeliler, Türk Vatandaşları, Tanınma

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