MiReKoc Seminar Series of Spring 2019 continues with Somita Sabeti’s presentation on ‘Between Liminality and Belonging – mapping the experiences of Afghan young adults ‘in transit’ in Istanbul’. The presentation and discussion will take place on Wednesday, May 29th, 2019, at 12:00, in SOS143. Registration is required for participants not affiliated with Koç University.

Title:Between Liminality and Belonging – mapping the experiences of Afghan young adults ‘in transit’ in Istanbul

Abstract:The history of Afghan migration to Turkey long predates the ‘refugee crisis’ of 2015. While Turkey has historically played the role as destination country for Afghan refugees of Turkic/Turkish origins, the events of 2015 lead to a remarkable increase in the number of Afghan migrants coming to Turkey with the aim to reach Europe. Owning to the changing dynamics of the Turkish border and migration regime in relation to the EU’s externalisation policies, namely the EU-Turkey Refugee Deal of 2016, the situation for many migrants seem to have deteriorated in the country. Three years into the deal, many are either stranded in deplorable conditions or detained and deported back to their countries of origin. Drawing on qualitative interviewing and observational sketching as method, this study aims to explore how young Afghan adults experience and cope with their irregular status in Istanbul. As such, the study intends to unravel how liminality and belonging is shaped in the process of being ‘in transit’. The research is carried out in affiliation with the Migration research Center (MiReKoc) at Koç university and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

Bio: Somita Sabeti is a MA student in the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s program Crossing the Mediterranean – towards investment and integration, a program in Migration studies with a focus on the Mediterranean and MENA region which is jointly offered by four universities in: Italy (Ca’Foscari University Venice), Spain (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), France (L’Université Paul-Valéry-Montpellier) and Tunisia (Université de Sousse). Prior to her MA studies, she worked in the field of migration and migrant integration at both the Swedish and European level, including the European Commission’s Directorate General (DG) for Education and Culture in the areas of schools, multilingualism and intercultural communication. She has also several years of experience in migrant integration work in the City of Gothenburg, Sweden.