Description
The shift towards authoritarianism in Turkey forced many citizens to alter the course of their lives, resorting to drastic measures like migration and exile. Over the past decade, thousands have departed Turkey, marking one of the largest Turkish migrations to Europe and other destinations. Among these migrants were individuals who either supported or opposed the current regime's political and social policies, as well as members of marginalized minority groups. This group also encompassed members of the Gülen movement, accused of orchestrating the failed 2016 coup attempt, alongside white-collar professionals and secular Turkish citizens who chose to migrate due to political and economic changes in the country. This paper specifically delves into the experiences of a particular subset of this new wave, referred to as Turkey's intelligentsia in exile. These individuals made the decision to leave Turkey following the Gezi protests in 2013. The insights shared are drawn from 25 interviews conducted in 2021 with former academics, activists, artists, journalists, and politicians who relocated to various places due to pending legal trials or arrest warrants against them. The paper presents their perceptions on exile, lived experiences in host countries and their coping mechanisms with transnational repression.
