Paper Short Abstract:

In this paper, I focus on home-making practices among Syrian immigrants in Turkey. I argue that objects play a central role in the home-making practices of displaced people, emphasizing just how vital "home" is to those who have been uprooted. While the physical home itself is not portable, objects—and the emotions and memories attached to them—are. Infused with personal meanings, objects possess a transformative power; they "create magic" by helping people build a sense of home in an unfamiliar place.

Paper Abstract:

Migration is an experience of deprivation. It is a process in which relationships, meanings, and belongings are left behind. In the case of forced migration, it becomes even more profound as individuals are compelled to abandon everything that references their identity. Objects step in to substitute for the meanings that were left behind. While the outside world in a new geography may be beyond one’s control, the home remains personal and can be decorated in ways that reflect the individual’s identity and culture. In this regard, objects emerge as tools to compensate for loss, helping to restore a sense of biographical continuity.

In this paper, I focus on home-making practices among Syrian immigrants in Turkey. Specifically, I explore the objects acquired in Turkey to recreate a sense of home. Migrants who fled to Turkey following the outbreak of war in 2012 did not always have the luxury of bringing all the belongings they wanted. Many were forced to make hasty decisions due to life-threatening circumstances. Consequently, they often rely on familiar objects found in Turkey to decorate their homes or to carry on their habits. For some Syrian migrants, the feeling of "home" can manifest in sitting on floor cushions, reminiscent of traditions back in Syria, while for others, it is tied to the shape of a traditional Syrian tea glass. For some, it might even be a daily ritual, such as interactions with plants on the balcony.