Suriyeli Göçmenler Arasında Yardımlaşma ve Dayanışma Deneyimleri: Kavramsal Bir İnceleme
Experiences of Mutual Aid and Solidarity among Syrian Refugees: A Conceptual Examination

Summary/Abstract: Migration stands out as one of the most significant indicators of social, economic, and political transformations in today’s world. In cases of migration that occur independently of legal regulations, access to fundamental rights and services such as education, health, housing, and employment becomes severely restricted, leading solidarity and mutual support practices to play a central role in migrants’ survival strategies. In this context, one of the most striking examples of forced migration observed in different geographies is the movement of Syrians to Turkey in 2011 due to civil war and political instability. Syrian migrants arriving in Turkey face conditions of economic vulnerability caused by the lack of legal status and social exclusion; in this regard, developing community solidarity and social networks has become a vital necessity at both individual and collective levels. Solidarity and mutual aid practices among migrants function not only as individual support mechanisms but also play a critical role in social capital production and the construction of collective identity. Syrian migrants create social networks that provide both material and psychosocial support by mediating access to housing, employment, health, and education. These networks enable migrants to sustain their daily lives while also strengthening intra-community cohesion and their collective identity. In this regard, solidarity functions beyond being a protective mechanism against existing vulnerability conditions, serving as a strategic social tool that enhances the long-term resilience of migrant communities. This study examines the solidarity and mutual aid practices among Syrian migrants from a conceptual and theoretical perspective, discussing the societal functions of mechanisms developed by migrants in the context of social capital, community resilience, and collective identity. The analysis demonstrates that migration is not merely a spatial mobility but is also shaped by multi-layered vulnerability processes such as legal uncertainty, economic fragility, social exclusion, and psychosocial risks. Solidarity and mutual aid practices enable migrants to survive both individually and collectively, reinforce community belonging, and support the production of collective identity. Consequently, social networks and solidarity mechanisms emerge as a strategic tool that is central not only to improving migrants’ living conditions but also to preserving cultural continuity, strengthening psychosocial resilience, and supporting processes of social integration.

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