An evaluation on the Balkans migrants in Turkey in the context of social integration and identity (A sample from İzmir)

When Turkey is taken into consideration in point of internal and external migration processes it is well be observed that it has both historical and social and cultural experiences. The groups focused on this research are the ones that have migrated into Turkey in various periods `from the Balkans countries?. On account of the values such as culture, tradition, customs and language (differences of accents) that the immigrants brings together by reproducing them they are conspicuous. In this direction, the problems relating to clash of identities and attachments, disputes on values of inter-generations have been highlighted. Therefore, this issue has been examined in context of `migration, integration, identity and attachment?.In this frame the immigrants from Balkans settled in İzmir-Bornova (Altındağ, Yeşilova and Çamdibi areas) where the immigrants have already densily localized in here in various migration waves from the Balkans to Turkey are highlighted in this treatise. Shortly, this research includes the immmigrants come from Bulgaria, Greece, Yugoslavia (Bosnian) to Turkey and live in Altındağ, Yeşilova and Çamdibi. With the fieldwork, the identity perception, attachment forms and relative expressive ways of immigrants; the experiences of migrants have had; the levels of integration and participation in society; economical, social and cultural characteristics of immigrants in Altındağ, Yeşilova and Çamdibi has been proved.Immigrants from Balkans have some different social and cultural characteristics which differ from the local population and other local migrants. However, from the study results, we might not say that immigrants from Balkans have serious difficulty in adaptation or integration into Turkish society. Because, there is no important differences between immigrants from Balkans and Turkish society in point of social and cultural patterns such as language, religion, cultural values and so forth. The research reveals that the Turkish and Muslim immigrants from Balkans have migrated to Turkey on the grounds that they are Turks and Muslims, and that Turkey is their actual `homeland?. In this sense, it?s not possible analyzing immigrants from Balkans just in context of international/external migration and foreign immigrants category. The data shows that the immigrants are relatively glad to be in Turkey and their expectations are largely met in point of both economical and moral aspects. In addition to this, the existence of common cultural origin facilitates the adaptation of immigrants into Turkish society. Consequently, we might say that Turkey supplies dual satisfactions to the immigrants from Balkans.KEYWORDS:Migratıon, Social integration, identity, attachment