Migration processes of afgan migrantsliving in Turkey: The role of social networks

The number of people in the world who have left their country and migrated to other countries in the last century is increasing rapidly. The Afghan migration problem, which began with the invasion of Soviet Russia in 1979, has not yet been resolved despite the past four decades. Turkey is one of the countries most affected by this migration process after Pakistan and Iran. Afghan migrants make up the largest group of migrants in Turkey after Syrian migrants. Within the scope of this thesis, the answer to the question of what is the role of social networks in the migration process from Afghanistan to Turkey was sought. Network theory, which tries to understand the effect of social networks in the migration process, was used in the methodological part of the study. This study is considered important to consider that Afghan migration is not studied enough in our country and to address all processes of Afghan migration through social networks. Semi-structured interview method, which is a qualitative research method, was used within the scope of the thesis. Twelve Afghan migrants living in Ankara were interviewed. The data obtained were analyzed by descriptive analysis method. Within the scope of the research, it was observed that social networks are actively involved in every stage of the migration process from Afghanistan to Turkey. Social networks play a very decisive role in the migration decision-making of Afghan migrants, in the migration journey, in choosing Ankara as a place to live and in their daily lives in Ankara. Social networks established among migrants turned into chain migration, perpetualizing migration from Afghanistan to Turkey.