The Precarious Lives of Syrians: Migration, Citizenship, and Temporary Protection in Turkey

Abstract

The book The Precarious Lives of Syrians: Migration, Citizenship, and Temporary Protection in Turkey came out in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when travel restrictions made it all but impossible for people forced to abandon their homes for reasons such as wars, protracted conflicts, political or sexuality-based persecutions, or gender violence, to seek in other countries access to social justice, that is, safety, security, inclusion, and physical and mental well-being. Yet, COVID-19 merely exacerbated the exclusions that have become entrenched in the global governance of migration. Many states have adopted a multiplicity of techniques to prevent asylum seekers from reaching their borders. These measures include the increased surveillance of borders, seas, and national territories and the imposition of new visa restrictions, to name a few. For countries of destination, keeping refugees out has also meant making deals with the countries en route. It is these transit countries that are now responsible for detaining the migrant flows, deporting migrants, or as is the case of Turkey, providing protection, albeit temporary, to asylum seekers. However, as The Precarious Lives of Syrians clearly demonstrates, these temporary forms of protection leave displaced people insecure and vulnerable. This captivating book offers a poignant, scrupulous, and provocative analysis of what Baban, Ilcan and Rygiel call the "architecture of precarity" composed of three layers, provides a sophisticated and nuanced analysis of the impact of this