The ontological security of the Yazidi diaspora

Security is a fundamental need for individuals, communities, and states. However, security encompasses not only threats to physical integrity but also threats to existence and identity. The state-centered and physically focused understanding of traditional security approaches has overlooked the security needs of societies. Consequently, with the expansion and deepening of security approaches, the field has begun to transform into one that focuses on individuals and communities. The path opened by critical security approaches has facilitated the integration of human security and ontological security studies within international security studies. Diaspora refers to a community's dispersion from its homeland to other countries due to historical, political, or traumatic experiences. This dispersion is not merely a physical relocation but also a societal experience redefined through memory, identity, and belonging. Diasporic communities strive to preserve the places they come from in their memories and life practices while simultaneously adapting to the countries they live in, endeavoring to construct a diasporic identity. Therefore, diaspora is not only a dispersion but also a process of re-formation and a search for security. As an ethno-religious community, the Yazidis have faced violence due to their identity and have been forcibly displaced from their homeland. Scattered across various countries, the Yazidis have transformed into a diaspora community, striving to preserve their identity, self-narratives, routines, and beliefs. Consequently, the Yazidi diaspora represents not only a dispersion but also an effort to reconstruct a sense of belonging. While striving to maintain their identity and affiliation on one hand, they also work to adapt to society on the other. In this context, this thesis seeks to analyze the ontological security needs and perceptions of the Yazidis.