Representation and Perception of the Homeless in Turkey: A Study of Discourse Analysis
Esra Çolakoğlu, Ali KayaHomelessness is a significant social problem that is often accompanied by negative prejudices and serious social stigma. In Turkey, homeless people who live in crowded environments or on the streets face limited social support. The aid provided by the state is usually seasonal and limited to temporary measures such as providing shelter and clothing during the winter months. NGOs also provide support within their means. However, there are no comprehensive social policies and programmes specifically developed to help homeless people escape this situation. The policy development process is closely related to the recognition of homelessness as a social problem in Turkey, which in turn is closely related to the perceptions, beliefs and prejudices about the subject. In this study, critical discourse analysis, which investigates the connection between language, social power relations, ideologies and beliefs, was used to determine the prevalent discourses on homelessness in Turkey; the aim was to explain the reasons for the low levels of support for the homeless and the lack of a comprehensive social policy development. The findings of the study reveal that homelessness in Turkey is generally considered an individual problem, not a social one. Ignoring the structural factors that lead to homelessness, such as poverty, migration and employment problems, normalises the problem and reduces social responsibility, preventing the development of comprehensive social policies, support and services for the homeless. In addition, dominant discourses shaped by non-homeless actors reinforce the marginalisation of homeless individuals by categorising them as “others.” Because of the research, it was determined that five types of discourses about homelessness were common in Turkey: personalising, emotional, criminalising, objectifying and normalising.
Türkiye’deki Evsizlerin Temsili ve Algılanışı: Bir Söylem Analizi Çalışması
Esra Çolakoğlu, Ali KayaEvsizlik, çoğu zaman olumsuz önyargılar ve ciddi bir toplumsal damgalamanın eşlik ettiği önemli bir sosyal problemdir. Türkiye’de, çok kalabalık ortamlarda barınan veya sokaklarda yaşayan evsizler, sınırlı sosyal destekle karşı karşıyadır. Devletin sağladığı yardımlar genellikle mevsimsel olup, kış aylarında barınak ve giyecek sağlama gibi geçici önlemlerle sınırlıdır. Sivil toplum kuruluşları da kaynakları dahilinde destek sunmaktadır. Ancak evsizlerin bu durumdan kurtulmalarına yönelik, özel olarak geliştirilmiş kapsamlı sosyal politika ve programlar mevcut değildir. Politika geliştirme süreci, Türkiye’de evsizliğin bir sosyal problem olarak tanınmasıyla; o da bu konudaki algı, inanç ve önyargılarla yakından ilişkilidir. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye’de evsizlikle ilgili yaygın söylemleri belirlemek için dilin, toplumsal güç ilişkisi, ideoloji ve inançlarla bağlantısını araştıran eleştirel söylem analizi kullanılmış; evsizlere yönelik desteğin düşük düzeylerde kalmasının ve kapsamlı bir sosyal politika geliştirilmemesinin nedenlerinin açıklanması amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmanın bulguları, Türkiye’de evsizliğin genellikle toplumsal değil, bireysel bir sorun olarak düşünüldüğünü ortaya koymaktadır. Yoksulluk, göç ve istihdam sorunları gibi evsizliğe yol açan yapısal faktörlerin göz ardı edilmesi, sorunu normalleştirmekte ve toplumsal sorumluluğu azaltarak evsizlere yönelik kapsamlı sosyal politika, destek ve hizmetlerin geliştirilmesine engel olmaktadır. Ayrıca, evsiz olmayan aktörler tarafından şekillendirilen hâkim söylemler, evsiz bireyleri “öteki” olarak kategorize ederek marjinalleşmelerini pekiştirmektedir. Araştırma sonucunda Türkiye’de evsizliğe yönelik beş şöylem tipinin yaygın olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bunlar, kişiselleştiren, duygusal, kriminalize eden, nesneleştiren ve normalleştiren olmak üzere beş başlık altında toplanmıştır.
Homelessness, a severe social problem, is often misrepresented and stigmatised. Those without homes—which could mean living with relatives temporarily, in crowded spaces, or even on the streets—need more robust support, particularly in places like Turkey, where there are thousands of homeless individuals. Despite the temporary aid such as temporary shelter and clothing support during the winter months provided by the government and NGOs, comprehensive programmes to prevent and alleviate homelessness are minimal. Understanding the societal view of homelessness is intertwined with the cultural importance of a “home.” In Turkish culture, a home is much more than just a place of shelter—it is the heart of the family identity and social bonds, rendering social, emotional, and symbolic significance. It is a space for traditional practises that foster family connections. The definitions and understanding of homelessness impact the approach towards solutions. It is crucial to acknowledge that the prejudices faced by homeless individuals compound their hardships.
Analysing discussions on homelessness requires grasping the cultural significance of what we consider home. For a comprehensive understanding of the breadth of societal policies and the narratives surrounding homelessness, we must appreciate the diverse nuances associated with the notion of home. The Turkish culture illustrates how intricately the ideas of home and family are woven together. Home is seen as the bedrock of the familial ethos, epitomising the essence of social connections. It integrates a range of social transactions and tangible practises like sharing meals as a family, visiting relatives, partaking in holiday celebrations, preserving traditional home setups, enjoying Sunday breakfasts together, and sharing evening television viewing experiences, each of which strengthens the family bonds. The home is more than just a secure sanctuary; it is imbued with profound societal, emotional, and symbolic connotations. The emotional capital and social significance of space play a critical role in individuals’ lives. Various categories of homelessness and associated research methodologies directly shape the way we approach this issue and design strategies to address it. The definitions of homelessness subsequently set the scale of the problem and the attendant policies. Further complicating this issue is the prejudice faced by people without homes, which greatly influences their lived experience of homelessness.
Discourse theory serves as a methodological tool for exploring overarching perceptions and representations. It sees language as inextricably linked to societal dynamics, power structures, and ideologies. Such ideologies, beliefs and notions justify, produce and reproduce themselves via language. The current study seeks to decipher discourses concerning homelessness in Turkey to identify key narratives on the issue. This will illuminate why assistance for the homeless remains minimal and why there appears to be no forthcoming strategy for a comprehensive social policy to alleviate the issue.
The findings illustrate that homelessness is frequently seen as a personal challenge. This reflects findings from studies around the globe, yet in Turkey, homelessness is overly personalised through stigmatisation or by pathologizing those without a home. The strong connections between homelessness and the absence of a home are worth mentioning. In Turkish society, the deep ties between the ideas of home and family influence how those without homes are understood and seen. The homeless in Turkey have very limited and insufficient access to social support and services. Across the nation, the aid provided to the homeless, such as shelter during winter, minimal financial help, clothing, and food, encompasses all the available assistance. Homelessness is primarily seen as the person’s own issue and this belief is largely held; therefore, no wide-ranging policy has been established to tackle what is seen as an individual problem.
This study effectively illustrates the complex connection between our social identity and the social groups to which we belong, with a special focus on the issue of homelessness. The investigation’s consequences highlight how the state of homelessness becomes an identity in itself, shaped through individualised, normalised, criminalised, objectified, and emotional discourses. These five discourse recurrently portray homeless individuals.
The research unveils the discouraging truth that homelessness is not sufficiently acknowledged as a societal issue in Turkey. Instead, it is turned into a personal matter, tied to individual specific situations and private troubles. Such depictions imply that homelessness is detached from structural elements such as economic conditions, job shortages, migration, and the informal job market. These significant causative factors of homelessness are, unfortunately, frequently disregarded.
The critical discourse methodology applied in this study concludes that our social identities are crafted through the dichotomy of “us” and “the other.” Homeless individuals are typically categorised as ‘the others’—those dissimilar from us. The condition of homelessness is often attributed to the unique circumstances of ‘the other’, with society and institutional bodies failing to make sufficient efforts to address this issue, which is frequently framed as an individual problem. The dominant narrative surrounding this topic is persistently perpetuated through media outlets and public institutions, thereby achieving a level of normalcy. What is key to remember is that these dialogues are generated by non-homeless individuals, which results in the perpetuation of portraying the homeless as “the other.”
In the field of poverty studies, public perceptions are often made between those deemed deserving of assistance and those who are not, a principle that applies equally to the homeless population in Turkey. Determining whether a homeless individual is deserving of aid largely hinges on specific circumstances. During severe weather
conditions, all homeless individuals are considered deserving of social support. However, certain groups, such as homeless families, frequently receive prioritised attention to help them escape their current living conditions. Emergency aid measures and support systems are readily available for these families and are often highlighted in emotionally charged discourses. By approaching relevant organisations, necessary assistance can be secured for these families, with appeals for public support through media platforms being a common method. Yet, a deeper examination of prevalent discussions reveals a lack of consideration for structural issues such as poverty, population migration, ineffective social policies, economic downturns, insufficient social services for former convicts, and employment challenges as causes of homelessness. This oversight indicates a neglect of fundamental structural factors, highlighting a key reason why social policies and services designed to address homelessness are notably lacking in Turkey. Homelessness is beyond the capacity of individuals to overcome independently; it is a significant societal issue requiring institutional focus. However, the current representations of the homeless mitigate the societal and institutional responsibilities associated with this social problem.
