Family Return Migration from Europe to Turkey in the Time of Crises

This chapter explores the patterns of return migration from Europe to Turkey on the times of crises by means of a qualitative micro study. It provides descriptive data on push/pull factors affecting Turkish migrants and their future migratory plans. In addition to the recent global pandemic (COVID-19), Turkey has been going through severe economic crises and hyperinflations recently. Collecting data from nine return migrants who returned to Turkey recently and conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews, push and pull factors affecting their return decision, their reintegration processes amid the public health and economic crises, and the role of family dynamics in return migration process were investigated. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analyses. Findings suggest that emotional reasons outweigh all the economic and Covid considerations in return migration decision and reintegration processes. Although hyperinflation and unemployment challenge the lives of returnees, emotional reasons like keeping ethnic ties, feeling home, and avoiding discriminating context in Europe convinced the returnees to stay in Turkey. The results of the study were discussed within acculturation theory, family research, and crisis perspective.