Xenophobia and Intercultural Communication: Turkish Students in the Erasmus Program

Kayaoğlu M. N.

BILIG, cilt.15, sa.115, ss.29-55, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus, TRDizin)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 15 Sayı: 115
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.12995/bilig.8351
  • Dergi Adı: BILIG
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Index Islamicus, Linguistic Bibliography, Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete, Sociological abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.29-55
  • Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

 This study investigates the prevalence of xenophobia among Erasmus students and examines its relationship with their experiences and cultural integration. While the Erasmus program has effectively promoted intercultural communication, awareness, and a sense of European identity, insufficient attention has been given to the xenophobia experienced by students within the program. This mixed-method study addresses this gap by surveying 237 Turkish Erasmus students, revealing that despite their high levels of satisfaction with the program, xenophobia remains a significant issue, particularly for Turkish participants. The findings highlight the need for a stronger emphasis on social inclusion, equity, tolerance, and mutual understanding within the Erasmus framework. The study concludes that although the Erasmus program has significant potential to facilitate cultural integration, additional efforts are required to address and mitigate, if not eliminate, xenophobia and racism effectively.