ABSTRACT
This study examines the changes in religious perceptions, transformations in worship practices, and social integration processes of refugees who migrated from Iraq to Turkey. The research aims to investigate the impact of migration experience on individuals’ religious adaptation processes from a multidimensional perspective, thereby contributing to the formulation of immigrant integration policies. The study problematizes how migrants’ religious practices are reshaped in a new social context, how their religious perceptions are affected by the migration process, and the role of this transformation in social integration. Therefore, this research is based on a conceptual framework that addresses how religion transforms during migration not merely as an individual sphere of belief, but as a multidimensional phenomenon that determines social adaptation and cultural interaction. In this context, how the differences between religious life in Iraq and Turkey are experienced and interpreted by migrants has been investigated. Employing qualitative methods and a phenomenological approach, the research conducted in-depth interviews with 10 Iraq refugees living in Ordu province and utilized thematic analysis method. The study identified three main themes: “Religion and social life in Iraq,” “perception of religion in Turkey after migration,” and “religious institutions and social integration.” Research findings reveal that religious perceptions and attitudes during the migration process are not static structures, but rather possess a character that is open to transformation and flexible according to context. Participants experienced that religious life, which was shaped by collective and normative structures in Iraq, evolved into a more individual, flexible, and pluralistic form in Turkey. It was determined that religious institutions in Turkey were perceived positively in terms of accessibility and social support, however, cultural differences and language barriers complicated the integration process.