Alteration in migration policies, institutionalization and issues experienced in Turkey

The issue of migration is amongst the agendas of utmost importance with respect to the fundamental issues and altering priorities of Turkey in the short and the long term. Following the significant increase in migrations in the recent time, European Union harmonization process and particularly the enactment of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection Law No. 6458, the issue of migration has become one of the significant fields of study of the public administration discipline. Although a significant increase in the studies, particularly during the recent period, conducted in this regard is observed, it is not feasible to be utter that sufficient number of studies are available addressing the alterations and changes within the field of migration policies associated with the pre-Republic period, while explaining the issues in the current applicable migration policies and scrutinizing and reviewing to what extent the immigrants and asylum seekers benefit from the rights and services. Therefore, the alteration of the migration policies in Turkey within the historical process, developments and improvements associated with the institutionalization and the issues observed within the field of migration policies are examined and researched in this study. The overall objective of the study is to review the alteration of migration policies within the historical process and present a holistic perspective with respect to the migration policies of our times. In this context, the first part of the study focuses on the concept, theory and policy aspects of the migration for the purpose of developing a background to serve as the basis of the study. The second part of the study addresses the alterations and changes occurred in the migration patterns, migration policies and institutionalization within the processes starting from the Late Ottoman Period extending towards the 1980s. The subject of the third part is comprised of the alterations in the migration patterns and accordingly the migration policies since the 1980s. Forth part aims to review in detail the migration management system by addressing the alterations occurred in the new period in the migration management and institutionalization at the outset and the roles of actors operating and engaging in activities within this field. Subsequently, the issues becoming prominent within the field of migration are examined and certain solution proposals are presented for the issues identified. Consequently, it is emphasized that the policies on the migration and the institutionalization are not specific to the recent period, significant alterations and changes have been experienced within the historical process based on the various internal and external dynamics in the policies related to this field and the fields of migration policy include certain issues and challenges.