The social and cultural characteristics of foreigners living in Antalya

Foreigners migrating to Turkey with a view to settle in the country is a a relatively new phenomenon in the sphere of migration. At the same time, literature examination has revealed the fact that there are a limited number of studies on this issue. Therefore, it was sometimes difficult to access more statistical information. Nevertheless, the data obtained from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (ÇSGB), the Turkish National Police (EGM), the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) and Antalya Metropolitan Municipality have provided the thesis with a strong statistical basis along with its comprehensive analysis. The research goal of this work is to construct the general profile of foreigners living in Antalya by analyzing their social characteristics (education level, income level, legal status etc.) and cultural characteristics (language, the knowledge of Turkish, religion etc.) and after that to find out the effects they have on the Turkish society. Their effects will be classified as either positive or negative. This work comprises three chapters. Chapter 1, ?The Process of Globalization and International Migration?, represents the theoretical background of the thesis. This Chapter contains the research of the contemporary migration theories in the light of international migration; different migration types and the analysis of multiculturalism that retains its important place on the international agenda. Chapter 2, ?The History of Migration to Turkey and the Country?s Migration Policies?, is the continuation of Chapter 1. In this chapter migration to Turkey will be examined through the prism of history; Turkey?s migration policies will be studied in a detailed manner by dividing them according to migration types; and the social statuses and cultural characteristics of foreigners will be given as a general profile for Turkey. Apart from that, there will be a similar profile for foreigners living in Antalya (including information on their participation in local social life and many other issues) insofar as this city is the research object of the thesis. Chapter 3 shows the results of the field research that are given in the form of statistical data and the cross-tables with two variables. The data examination has been conducted with the help of the SPSS program. It will make possible the verification of the theories stated in previous chapters and the comparison of the data collected in this fieldwork with the statistics of other researchers. The last part of this work is the results of the research.