Organizing collective memory for identity: The role of Lausanne exchange associations in construction of exchangee identity

The thesis argues that the Turkish-Greek Population Exchange Agreement, signed on January 30, 1923, was not merely a population transfer but also a complex process involving the reconstruction of identities, cultures, and memories. During this process, which forcibly displaced approximately two million people, communities experienced deep traumas at both individual and collective levels. Exchangee associations played a significant role in preserving and redefining the exchangee identity during this forced migration, contributing to the formation and preservation of collective memory. The religion-based exchange ignored ethnic and cultural diversity, leading to the separation of communities and causing identity crises.In both Turkey and Greece, exchangees faced serious challenges in adapting to their new locations. resulting in socio-cultural conflicts.In this context, exchangee associations undertook the task of keeping the memories of the past alive and transmitting this memory to future generations The role of these associations extended beyond providing social solidarity; they also took on functions such as preserving cultural heritage, supporting identity construction, and integrating the exchangee identity into the national identity-building process. This study aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of how exchangee associations shaped the relationship between memory, identity, and space, and how this process interacted with state policies