Funded by the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant, the project “MENBELONG – Belonging for Single Migrant Men: A Cross-Country Comparative Perspective” commenced, with Özyeğin University serving as a key project partner. Led by Prof. Gökçe Yurdakul from Humboldt University of Berlin, the project officially launched on February 1, 2026.

Assoc. Prof. Susan Beth Rottmann and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Dilek Üstünalan from the Anthropology Department at Özyeğin University form the Türkiye research team for MenBelong. Taking on a comparative approach, the project examines the sense of belonging among single migrant men, one of the largest yet least studied groups in global migration research.

Moving beyond conventional approaches to integration that are centered on legal status or labor market participation, MenBelong examines how single migrant men navigate stigma, including stereotypes that portray them as hypersexual and criminalized, while simultaneously constructing unique and often overlooked forms of belonging. The research will offer a comparative analysis of Syrian migrants in Türkiye, Mexican migrants in Canada, Turkish migrants in Germany, Burmese migrants in Thailand, and Venezuelan migrants in Chile.

The project’s kick-off meeting was held at Humboldt University of Berlin on March 16–18, 2026, bringing together members of the research team.