An Intersectional Analysis of the Migration Experiences of Iranians in Ankara

Abstract

Migration and refugee issues have impacted many countries, with Turkey being among the most affected due to its Middle Eastern geopolitical position. This study examines the experiences of Iranian refugees in Ankara, shaped at the intersection of their diverse identity affiliations. In this context, it focuses on how the refugee experiences of Iranians residing in Ankara are shaped by their ethnic, gender, class, refugee, and foreign identities. Accordingly, in-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with a total of 10 Iranian refugees—five men and five women—who migrated to Turkey after 2009 and who ethnically identify as Azeri-Turk, Kurdish, or Persian. The study reveals that Iranian refugees in Ankara experience multidimensional exclusion, particularly due to their foreign and refugee identities, as well as their ethnic, gender, and class identities, which intersect to further marginalize them. In response to these overlapping discrimination processes, Iranian refugees adopt strategies such as ‘identity concealment’ as a means of coping.