What Defines the Final Destination? Rights or Culture

Abstract

Crossing borders legally or illegally, seeking for shelter in another land have been an issue of today’s world for the last couple of decades. Some specific regions affected more than others. Syrians, especially, as a result of the ongoing war within their borders, are forced to move for the sake of saving their lives. With respect to the religious, cultural, and social ties, it is expected that they would seek refuge into the wealthy Arab countries in the Gulf because of the good economic conditions as well as social and cultural ties. Instead, it is seen that Syrians mostly migrate to Turkey and European countries. Even if it is very complicated to analyse as the process is continuing, the reports, observations, and interviews make it possible to come to some certain point to comprehend the situation. When people are forced to migrate from their own country, it could be said there are two stages of it: 1st move, and 2nd move. In the 1st move, people are seeking security more than anything else. The political approach and legal applications of the government of a country towards migration as well as geographic availability are the first and foremost reasons why people choose to go to certain countries. As soon as life treating conditions are off the table, however, people seek for a place to settle and raise their children in, which can be called the 2nd move. In the second move, people look for security, and more. At this specific moment, social and cultural ties determine what to choose and where to go. In this paper, we are going to demonstrate the reasons behind these preferences by comparing people’s experience both in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Our data collection method is in-depth interviews with participants face to face and online. We analyse the data with descriptive analysis techniques. As a result of our research, we could say that fundamental rights and freedom are the most important reason. Human rights and feeling free in a country mean more significant than social and cultural ties for Syrian migrants.