Analysis of migrant groups in the context of multiculturalism: The example of Yalova

The main purpose of this research is to examine the views and experiences of the host community towards foreigners in the context of multiculturalism in the case of Yalova province. Immigrant groups coming to Turkey from different regions are gradually reaching a more settled position. One of the provinces where this situation can be observed is Yalova. Yalova attracts attention because of its location in the Marmara region, its proximity to the sea and its location in a region with thermal waters. There are many reasons why immigrants find it easier to settle in Yalova. One of them is that before 2011, the city received foreigners from many different regions as tourists. Today, immigrant groups settling in Yalova have begun to appear on the agenda. In this context, the relations of these immigrant groups with the host society and the issues of harmonisation have become more important. In this context, a qualitative method was chosen to understand in depth the views of the host community in Yalova towards foreign groups. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 35 participants from the host community. The findings indicate that the opinions of the people of Yalova towards immigrants have become more negative over time. It can be said that the arrival of immigrants with the aim of living in the region on a more permanent basis is viewed negatively by the people of Yalova. According to the findings, while the host community living in Yalova evaluates non-Arab immigrants more positively, they do not consider the immigrant groups to be sufficiently assimilated.