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Contrary to the homogenizing discourses of many populist leaders that prioritize naturalized populations, current global trends present us with heterogeneous societies, the realities of which require more comprehensive solutions than the emergency aid and service provision that characterize many programs of refugee-receiving countries. Institutions that can govern diversity and practices that support diversified common public spheres are harder to build because they bring up questions relating to democratic participation and the construction of citizenship. The global movement of people brings into sharper focus the larger questions of our time, such as how to live with Others and who belongs.

The case of Turkey is highly relevant in discerning the boundaries of belonging, since it has become the largest refugee-hosting country worldwide. 1 The accommodation of 3.6 million Syrians now living in Turkey is a challenge not only because it is a multi-faceted issue that requires long-term perspectives but also because public resentment toward newcomers has been increasing. While it is clear that human-centered and sustainable responses to the refugee issue must be developed—at the core of which lies coexistence—a contradictory mix of social acceptance and resentment in society at large affects the interactions between locals and Syrians. On the one hand, 58% of Turkish citizens perceive Syrians as “people running away from war/persecution”; on the other, 43% of Turkish citizens perceive Syrians as a “liability,” 39% as “dangerous people who will cause trouble in the future,” and 24% as “beggars/living