Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T12:55:10.549Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluation of irregular migration governance in Turkey from a foreign policy perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2018

N. Ela Gökalp Aras  and
Zeynep Şahin Mencütek
N. Ela Gökalp Aras
Affiliation:
Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul, İstiklal Caddesi 247 Tünel-Beyoğlu TR 34433 İstanbul, [email protected], [email protected]. Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul, İstiklal Caddesi 247 Tünel-Beyoğlu TR 34433 İstanbul, [email protected], [email protected].
Zeynep Şahin Mencütek
Affiliation:
Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul, İstiklal Caddesi 247 Tünel-Beyoğlu TR 34433 İstanbul, [email protected], [email protected]. Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul, İstiklal Caddesi 247 Tünel-Beyoğlu TR 34433 İstanbul, [email protected], [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article analyzes the extent to which Turkey’s irregular migration governance has evolved since the 1990s and the most salient factors in that process. Relying on the methods of process tracing and political ethnography, the article demonstrates that, since the early 1990s, Turkey’s irregular migration governance has been driven by the following factors: 1) responses to the European Union’s (EU) attempts to control migration through externalization; 2) Turkey’s national security concerns, which increased with the advent of mass migration from the Middle East; and 3) the increase in the number of irregular migrants on Turkish territory. The Syrian mass migration that began in 2011 gave momentum to the evolution of irregular migration governance in line with the long-term externalization on the part of the EU. Our analysis sheds light on the interconnectedness of irregular and mass migration, as well as on the outcomes of interactions between international politics and national migration governance. Thus, the article provides insights that will prove valuable for migration studies, EU studies, and studies on Turkish foreign policy.

Keywords

Irregular migrationforeign policyEU externalizationSyrian mass migrationTurkey
Type
Special Dossier: Researching human smuggling in the Mediterranean
Information
New Perspectives on Turkey , Volume 59 , November 2018 , pp. 63 - 88
Copyright
© New Perspectives on Turkey and Cambridge University Press 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

“Arınç: Suriye Sınırında Fiziki Güvenlik Sistemi Kurulacak.” BBC Türkçe, July 22, 2015. https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler/2015/07/150721_bulent_arinc_.Google Scholar
“Başbakan’dan Suriyelilere Uyarı: Suç İşleyen Dışarıda Kalır.” NTV, July 6, 2017. https://www.ntv.com.tr/turkiye/basbakandan-suriyelilere-uyari-suc-isleyen-disarida-kalir,8hNDlOQfnU2PAtIqkkWBFw.Google Scholar
Bayındır Goularas, Gökçe and Sunata, Ulaş. “Türk Dış Politikasında Göç ve Mülteci Rejimi.” Moment Journal 2, no. 1 (2015): 12–40.Google Scholar
Castles, Stephen. “The Migration-Asylum Nexus and Regional Approaches.” In New Regionalism and Asylum Seekers: Challenges Ahead. Edited by Susan Kneebone and Felicity Rawlings-Sanae. London: Berghahn Books, 2007. 25–42.Google Scholar
“Davutoğlu: AB ile Kayserili Pazarlığı Yaptık.” Hürriyet, March 9, 2016. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/dunya/davutoglu-ab-ile-kayserili-pazarligi-yaptik-40065646.Google Scholar
Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM). Irregular Migration Statistics. http://www.goc.gov.tr/icerik6/irregular-migration_915_1024_4746_icerik.Google Scholar
Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM). “Türkiye’de Geçici Koruma.” www.goc.gov.tr/icerik3/turkiye’de-gecici-koruma_409_558_1097.Google Scholar
Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM). Law on Foreigners and International Protection . [LFIP] Ankara: DGMM, 2014. http://www.goc.gov.tr/files/files/eng_minikanun_5_son.pdf.Google Scholar
Directorate General of Migration Management (DGMM). “Temporary Protection Regulation.” 2014. http://www.goc.gov.tr/files/_dokuman28.pdf.Google Scholar
Doukouré, Ounia and Oger, Helen. “The EC External Migration Policy: The Case of the MENA Countries.” Cooperation Project on the Social Integration of Immigrants, Migration and the Movement of Persons (European University Institute, Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, 2007). http://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/7991/CARIM-RR_2007_06.pdf,2.Google Scholar
“Erdoğan AB’yi Tehdit Etti: Sınırları Açarız.” DW, November 25, 2016. https://www.dw.com/tr/erdo%C4%9Fan-abyi-tehdit-etti-s%C4%B1n%C4%B1rlar%C4%B1-a%C3%A7ar%C4%B1z/a-36519386.Google Scholar
“Erdogan’dan AB’ye Mülteci Krizi Tepkisi: Alnımızda Enayi Yazmıyor.” BBC Türkçe, February 11, 2016. https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler/2016/02/160211_erdogan_omer_celik_multeciler_aciklama.Google Scholar
European Migration Network (EMN). Practical Measures to Reduce Irregular Migration. EMN Synthesis Report, October 2012.Google Scholar
European Stability Initiative (ESI). “The Refugee Crisis through Statistics: A Compilation for Politicians, Journalists and Other Concerned Citizens.” January 30, 2017. https://www.esiweb.org/pdf/ESI%20-%20The%20refugee%20crisis%20through%20statistics%20-%2030%20Jan%202017.pdf.Google Scholar
European Commission (EC). “Sixth Report on the Progress Made in the Implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement.” Strasbourg, June 13, 2017. https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/sites/near/files/170613_6th_report_on_the_progress_made_in_the_implementation_of_the_eu-turkey_statement_en.pdf, 3.Google Scholar
“EU-Turkey Statement, 18 March 2016.” http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/18/eu-turkey-statement/.Google Scholar
Gökalp Aras, N. Ela and Mencütek, Zeynep Şahin. “International Migration and Foreign Policy Nexus: The Case of Syrian Refugees in Turkey.” Migration Letters 12, no.3, (2015): 193–208.Google Scholar
Gökalp Aras, N. Ela and Mencütek, Zeynep Şahin. “From Assertive to Opportunist Usage of Mass Migration for Foreign and Asylum Policy: Turkey’s Response to the Refugees from Syria.” In Turkish Migration Policy. Edited by İbrahim Sirkeci and Barbara Pusch. London: Transnational Press London, 2016. 91–127.Google Scholar
Greenhill, Kerry. Weapons of Mass Migration: Forced Displacement, Coercion, and Foreign Policy. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2010.Google Scholar
Greenhill, Kerry. “Open Arms behind Barred Doors: Fear, Hypocrisy and Policy Schizophrenia in the European Migration Crisis.” European Law Journal 22, no. 3 (May 2016): 317–332.Google Scholar
Greenhill, Kerry. “Migration as a Weapon in Theory and in Practice.” Military Review (November–December 2016): 23–36.Google Scholar
Human Rights Watch. “World Report 2014: Turkey, Events of 2013.” Human Rights Watch (2014). https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2014/country-chapters/turkey.Google Scholar
International Organization of Migration (IOM). Glossary on Migration: International Migration Law. Geneva: International Organization for Migration, 2004. http://publications.iom.int/bookstore/free/IML_1_EN.pdf.Google Scholar
International Organization of Migration (IOM). “Key Migration Terms.” https://www.iom.int/key-migration-terms.Google Scholar
İçduygu, Ahmet. “Rethinking Irregular Migration in Turkey: Some Demo-Economic Reflections.” CARIM Analytic and Synthetic Notes No. 2008/72. http://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/10117.Google Scholar
İçduygu, Ahmet. “The Irregular Migration Corridor between the EU and Turkey: Is It Possible to Block It with a Readmission Agreement?” EU-US Immigration Systems Research Project Report No. 2011/14. cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/17844.Google Scholar
İçduygu, Ahmet, ed. Kentler ve Göç. İstanbul: Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları, 2012.Google Scholar
İçduygu, Ahmet and Aksel, Damla B.. Irregular Migration in Turkey. Ankara: International Organization for Migration, 2012.Google Scholar
Kaya, İbrahim .“Undocumented Migration: Counting the Uncountable; Country Report: Turkey.” Athens: ELIAMEP, 2008.Google Scholar
Kaynak, Muhteşem. The Iraqi Asylum Seekers and Türkiye (1988–1991). Ankara: Tanmak, 1992.Google Scholar
Latif, Dilek. “Refugee Policy of the Turkish Republic.” The Turkish Year Book XXXIII, 2002.Google Scholar
Lavanex, Sandra. “EU Enlargement and the Challenge of Policy Transfer: The Case of Refugee Policy.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 28, no. 4 (2002): 701–721.Google Scholar
Lavanex, Sandra and Uçarer, Emek. “The External Dimension of Europeanization: The Case of Immigration.” Cooperation and Conflict 39 (2004): 417–443.Google Scholar
Long, Katy. “No Entry! A Review of UNHR’s Response to Border Closures in Situations of Mass Refugee Influx.” Report for the UNHCR Policy Development and Evaluation Service (PDES, June 2010). http://www.unhcr.org/4c207bd59.pdf.Google Scholar
Memişoğlu, Fulya. “Between the Legacy of Nation-state and Forces of Globalization: Turkey’s Management of Mixed Migration Flows.” EUI/RCSAS Working Paper No. 2014/122. http://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/33862.Google Scholar
“Milli Savunma Bakanı Işık: Duvarı Gelecek Ay Bitirmeyi Hedefliyoruz.” Milliyet, June 11, 2017. http://www.milliyet.com.tr/milli-savunma-bakani-isik-duvari-siyaset-2466570/.Google Scholar
“One-third of Turkey’s Rocket-resistant Concrete Wall along Syria Border Completed.” Daily Sabah, April 7, 2016. https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/%202016/04/07/one-third-of-turkeys-rocket-resistant-concrete-wall-along-syria-border-completed.Google Scholar
Özçürümez, Saime and Şenses, Nazlı. “Europeanization and Turkey: Studying Irregular Migration Policy.” Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies 13, no. 2 (2011): 233–248.Google Scholar
Özçürümez, Saime and Yetkin, Deniz. “Limits to Regulating Irregular Migration in Turkey: What Constrains Public Policy and Why?” Turkish Studies 15, no. 3 (2014): 442–457.Google Scholar
“Regulation No. 1994/6169 on the Procedures and Principles Related to Possible Population Movements and Aliens Arriving in Turkey Either as Individuals or in Groups Wishing to Seek Asylum Either from Turkey or Requesting Residence Permission in order to Seek Asylum from Another Country.” January 19, 1994. http://www.refworld.org/docid/49746cc62.html.Google Scholar
Sert, Deniz and Türkmen, Fulya F.. “The EU-Turkey Refugee Deal: The ‘Disturbing’ Balance between Protecting Refugee and Human Rights and Controlling Refugee Flows.” In Solidarity in the European Union: Challenges and Perspectives. Edited by Angelos Giannakopoulos. Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv University, 2017. 31–39.Google Scholar
Soyaltın, Diğdem. “Good News, Bad News or No News: Management of Irregular Migration in Turkey.” Research Turkey 2, no. 3 (2014): 33–45.Google Scholar
Teitelbaum, Michael S. “Immigration, Refugees, and Foreign Policy.” International Organization 38, no. 3 (1984): 429–450.Google Scholar
Temporary Protection Regulation, Part I, Article 3f, (2014). http://www.goc.gov.tr/files/_dokuman28.pdf.Google Scholar
Tolay, Juliette. “Turkey’s ‘Critical Europeanization’: Evidence from Turkey’s Immigration Policies.” In Turkey, Migration and the EU: Potentials, Challenges and Opportunities. Edited by Seçil Paçacı Elitok and Thomas Straubhaar. Hamburg: Hamburg University Press, 2012. 39–61.Google Scholar
Waever, Ole, Buzan, Barry, Kelstrup, Morten, and Lemaitre, Pierre. Identity, Migration and the New Security Agenda in Europe. New York: St. Martins Press, 1993.Google Scholar