Academic Studies On Syrian Refugees: Global Trends, Scientific Collaborations, And Turkey's Prominent Role

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the thematic trends over time in the academic literature on Syrian migrants, the global distribution of scientific collaborations, and the spatial density of academic production. The study examines 565 academic publications downloaded from the Web of Science (WoS) database on December 12, 2024, using Bibliometric Analysis Methods. The numerical changes in publications over the years, the evolution of research topics, the most cited authors, the journals in which the studies were published, and the distribution of these publications across universities and countries are comprehensively assessed. According to the findings, academic studies on Syrian migrants have evolved into a multidimensional research area shaped by changing local and global dynamics, attracting the interest of various disciplines over time. In the early years of mass migration, studies predominantly focused on themes such as conflict, crisis, and security; whereas, in later years, the focus shifted to social integration, trauma, emotional processes, and individual migrant experiences. Academic studies and scientific collaborations related to the topic are predominantly concentrated in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Lebanon. However, Turkey holds a strategic and defining position in the literature on Syrian migrants. Turkey’s geographical and cultural proximity to Syria, its strategic role in migration routes, and its status as the country hosting the highest number of Syrian migrants worldwide have made it prominent in terms of academic productivity and international scientific collaborations in this field.