Aslı ÖZTÜRK TERZİ

In line with the reasons that lead to migration, the displacements of the subjects of this action are defined in different ways within the framework of the political and legal structures in the places they reach. Differences in the definition of migrants also affect their legal status. When situations and events that cause migration occur as a result of the struggle for the right to life and freedom of individuals who are recognized by universal declarations as having equal rights all over the world, it is observed that universal common sense can be ignored and these individuals are defined with concepts such as “foreigner,” “other,” “not one of us,” and “not having common characteristics with us.” When migrant and host communities share common beliefs and cultural characteristics, as in the 2011 Syrian mass migration, these definitions can be made using emotional terms such as “religious brother,” “ensar (Muslim helpers),” and “guest.”  In terms of their legal status, they are thought of as migrants, refugees, conditional refugees, and people under subsidiary protection. 

There are various reasons underlying these differences. Each definition imposes various rights and responsibilities on the persons defined. It is possible to say that these definitions are different because they add a sense of responsibility to the ways that migration is managed and are still legal under international law. 

The central administration and the media have used the term “guest,” which contains profound ambiguities, in order to emphasize that those who came to Turkey with the mass migration wave from Syria will be in Turkey for a temporary period of time. The Directorate of Migration Management, which is in charge of work and procedures related to migration, maintained this discourse and even puts more emphasis on it in the public service announcements they make as part of their information and harmonization activities. 

Within the scope of the study, it is aimed to draw attention to the importance of defining migrants in a framework that is not ambiguous in order to avoid differences in discourse, reduce uncertainties, and draw attention to the importance of adaptation efforts required for the coexistence of migrants and the society to which they migrate. In this context, the public service and of the Directorate of Migration Management titled “You Are My Guest” was analyzed through semiotic analysis.

Keywords: Migration, communication, refugee, guest, Directorate of Migration Management, public spot.