By Leonie Kupferschmidt The civil war in Syria plunged the country into suffering and misery in 2011 and triggered a large movement of refugees. Initially known as a welcoming and solidary society, the tone towards refugees in Türkiye has become very heated in past years – but especially during the recent election: strange stares, verbal harassment, violence and even unjustified arrests – these are things … Continue reading A life in constant fear
Syrian Refugees in Istanbul By Leonie Kupferschmidt The civil war in Syria plunged the country into suffering and misery in 2011 and triggered a large movement of refugees. It may not be immediately obvious to the Western eye, but officially more than half a million Syrians live in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul alongside the locals. Initially known as a welcoming and solidary society, the … Continue reading A glimpse of hope
By Albane Rousseau In the bustling city of Istanbul, a daring project is underway. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the driving force behind what he calls his “Crazy Canal Project”, a grandiose undertaking designed to relieve traffic on the Bosporus. Nevertheless, for Cemal Saydam, a retired oceanographer, “the proposed channel will not only affect Turkey but will cause an international environmental disaster that will affect … Continue reading The Istanbul Canal: a major environmental challenge
By Josie Makkink In Istanbul, the strained relationship between Syrian refugees and Turkish nationals has escalated significantly due to the city’s economic collapse and social turmoil. The tension between Syrian refugees and Turkish nationals became extremely politized during the second round of the elections in Istanbul. An economic meltdown, overpopulation, and hostile living conditions are consuming the city. Political parties are using the refugees residing … Continue reading Refugee crisis reaches boiling point
Buying power has decreased sharply due to inflation and many people are affected by this matter. The inflation caused a lot of problems for the Turkish citizens especially students and the middle class. Inflation in Turkey rose above 85% last year. Currently the inflation decreased to 39,6%, and the lira has already lost 77 percent of its value since 2018. Professor of economics at … Continue reading Turkish middle-class struggles due to inflation
Text by Anna Monastyrova – Photo source; Instagram, @nevsinmengu For decades several journalists in Turkey have been prosecuted as terrorists who are trying to overthrow the existing regime. But the recent “disinformation bill” submitted to the parliament signifies a new approach to the oppression of journalistic freedom of speech. We can’t help but wonder, are independent Turkish media heading for complete extinction? The original aim … Continue reading Journalist, Not Terrorist
Text by Romy Voswijk – Photo from Instagram, @kadincinayetlernidurduracagiz As femicides are on the rise in Turkey, women in Istanbul fear for their safety. That is why the organization We Will Stop Femicide was created; to stand up for victims of abuse. However, the platform is now facing a court case for ‘conducting activities that violate laws and morals.’ Dozens of women with purple jackets and … Continue reading Are women’s rights in danger in Turkey?
Text and picture by Daniël Reusink – Istanbul is dealing with a big shortage of taxis. For some inhabitants it is a daily struggle to fight, sometimes literally, for a cab. Taxis in Istanbul are a popular mode of transportation because of their flexibility to travel through the crowded city. Despite the high demand for taxis, the taxi companies and the taxi union have been … Continue reading Istanbul’s taxi shortage drives people mad
Christiaan Broersma – Discriminating stickers produced without regret. The political world of Rotterdam was shocked after racist stickers were placed on political posters just weeks before the local elections. The stickers, containing QR-codes linked to a Neo-Nazi movement, were mostly placed on posters with people of colour on it. ‘A White Lives Matter sticker placed on the head of Richard Moti of PvdA’ After seeing … Continue reading ‘It makes me sick to my stomach companies even want to get involved’
Five refugees on how they regained their lives What if the country where you were born and raised becomes unsafe for you to be in? In that case, a lot of people would flee their country. In 2019 the United Nations published a report with a record number of people who fled their country due to war or violence. That year about 79,5 million people … Continue reading Newfound Purpose
