International migration and integration: Example of Turkish migrants in Poland

This research examines the social and system integration processes of Turkish immigrants in Poland based on identity, host society policies, communication with the host society and ethnicity. In the study, which was designed as a qualitative research, interview and participatory observation methods were used. The field research, which lasted 11 months between October 2020 and August 2021, was carried out in the cities of Warsaw, Gdansk, Bydgoszcz, Torun, Poznan and Wroclaw in Poland, and 30 people of Turkish origin in the study group were interviewed. The findings obtained within the scope of the research showed that immigrants of Turkish origin in Poland provided a system and social integration. The identity perceptions of immigrants are effective in shaping their communication processes which also shape their system and social integration. On the other hand, moving away from the perception of ethnic identity, coexistence with the host society, spending leisure and special day activities with the host society and other immigrants, the social environment consists of the host society and other immigrants, and the intensive use of Polish and English in daily language are the most prominent features of the social integration processes. Participants who establish emotional bonds through family or friendship are socially and systemically integrated into the host society, while participants who abstain from bilateral relations have difficulties in the social integration process.