@article{2015,title={A VISIT TO THE NEIGHBOUR: LIVING IN TURKEY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF REFUGEE ASSOCIATIONS ESTABLISHED BY SYRIAN REFUGEES},abstractNode={The relations between Turkish and Syrian people are based upon a common historical and cultural heritage. Recently, the civil war having broken out in Syria and the following mass migration waves have brought the relations between the two countries to a different level and led to new community and relation formats. This paper addresses to the associations in Şanlıurfa established by the Syrian Arabic and Turkmen refugees who escaped the Syrian war in 2011 due to civil disturbances and conflicts and took refuge in Turkey. This research consists of the data obtained by the literature and media review and semi-structured interview with association administrators, focus group and persons. This study deals also with what activities the refugees are engaged in through associations, the problems with public legislation and bureaucracy, the social and cultural points of conflict and harmony with Turkish people from the perspective of association administrators, exclusion/discrimination fields, experiences and the attitudes towards the ongoing civil war. The following findings were obtained by this research: the refugee associations established by Syrians play an intermediary role between state and immigrants and aim for cooperation and solidarity. These associations fulfill important functions in terms of expression of refugees’ problems on their social, economic and living conditions, political lobby and propaganda, rehabilitation of legal rights, education on human rights and democracy, professional skill acquisition, meeting, psycho-social support, spending time, cultural and art activities. The legal legislation regarding the associations in Turkey makes it difficult for the Syrians, who have residence and passport problems, to establish association, find economic support and perform activities. It is understood by this research that the members of Syrian associations are mostly culturally adapted and they are happy to live in Şanlıurfa and they don’t feel alienated significantly. However, the issues regarding labor exploitation, shopping deception, marriage conditions, polygamy and prostitution is a basic source of disturbance among the members of Syrian associations in terms of discrimination, conflict and exclusion. Concerning the solution suggestions for the ongoing war, it was observed that the association members are hopeless, exasperated and war-weary. The interviewers desire that the war ends and finalized as soon as possible. It is required to make le},author={Mahmut KAYA},year={2015},journal={The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies}}