Sociocultural Influences on Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from Syrian Migrants in Turkey

We aim to examine the participation of Syrian migrants in social and cultural activities in Turkey and compare the frequency of participation with Turkish respondents. The second aim is to study the role and influence of participation in social and cultural activities on subjective well-being (SWB). Syrians who read Turkish books and visit museums and historical sites, those who invite or are invited by Turkish friends, and those who have Turkish friends are more likely to experience high SWB than Turkish respondents do. The findings also emphasize the critical role of socioeconomic factors, such as education, wealth, and income, in sociocultural participation. Thus, this study shows that integration and social inclusion should not be attributed solely to immigrants but should also rely on the efforts of the recipient societies since financial constraints and income disparities can potentially make it more difficult for migrants’ sociocultural participation.