Rethinking civil society in Turkey: The relationship between the Syrian NGOs and Turkish state

Official URL: https://risc01.sabanciuniv.edu/record=b2711498_(Table of contents)

This thesis aims to explore Syrian civil society formations, with a particular focus on the Syrian NGOs in Istanbul. The research will mainly concentrate on the relationship between the Syrian refugee NGOs and the Turkish state by underlying: (i) The learning process of civil society in Turkey and their experiences in the field and interactions with refugees (ii) the basic dynamics and strategies of interaction between Syrian NGOs and the state mechanisms (iii) the state mechanisms and the impacts of Syrian NGOs in understanding the link between civil society and state in Turkey. The study intends to point out their basic problems in Turkey and the role of Syrian immigrant NGOs in providing services and a sense of belonging and solidarity among Syrian refugees. Indubitably, the study aims to scrutinize the ongoing political, social and economic dynamics in the civil society of Turkey and how the Syrian NGOs are situated, in order to clearly understand the role of Syrian associations. Throughout the thesis, Syrian refugees’ perceptions, experiences and their self-representations are scrutinized in tune with their process of learning in two levels: learning the concept of civil society and learning Turkish civil society. This research argues that Syrian NGOs in Turkey are in the process of learning the concept of civil society within Turkey. Additionally, it delineates the Syrian NGOs’ experience of civil society, enabling certain ways for refugees to establish their own political participation and strategies to deal with the state power in Turkey.