FMHT: Syrian Refugees and the Limits of Turkey’s ‘Open Door’ Policy

Join FMHT and Dr. Cigdem Benam of Boston College for a Lunchtime Discussion. The Syrian civil war has become one of the worst man-made disasters in history, resulting in intense and brutal fighting, with non-state actors replacing the authority of the state, and the displacement of half of the population of the country. Turkey, as a neighbor of Syria with the longest borders, opened its doors to refugees and in couple of years became the number one refugee hosting country in the world. This was an unexpected move, since Turkey has not always been that welcoming towards mass refugees movements. Dr. Benam will discuss the sources and transformation of Turkey’s policy towards Syrian refugees while questioning the sustainability of its ‘open door’ policy.