Demographic Anxiety in Turkey

Over the past decade, Turkey has witnessed unprecedented waves of migration from the Middle East, as well as from neighbouring regions such as the Caucasus and Eastern Europe. This book offers the first systematic and comprehensive analysis of these public and political discourses, including the collective anxieties—particularly demographic anxiety—and state policies that have emerged in response. It deftly integrates insights from migration studies, ontological security theory, and securitisation literature to illuminate public opinion, societal attitudes, and governmental approaches toward refugees and migrants. Not only does this book provide a cross-regional perspective on the migration crises of the Middle East and Europe, but it also situates the Turkish case within broader global-comparative debates. It is an examination of how Turkey has navigated significant migratory pressures in ways that resonate with, and diverge from, patterns observed worldwide.