International Migration Governance and Smart Urbanization: An Analysis in the Context of Game Theory (Nash Equilibrium)

Throughout history, migration has been one of the most important factors affecting and shaping the lives of countries and societies driven by economic, political and social reasons as well as by destructive factors such as international and civil wars. In this context, migration governance is defined as “a system of institutions, legal frameworks, mechanisms and practices to regulate migration and protect migrants”. Smart urbanization, on the other hand, refers to the development of living spaces that incorporate advanced technology and generate less harmful waste, with the goal of establishing a sustainable urban life and leaving livable cities to future generations. Game theory is a discipline that examines the strategies of actors, such as individuals, institutions, and states such as individuals, institutions, and states, who must make decisions under given constraints data, aiming to maximizing gains and minimizing losses losses in scenarios involving conflict and cooperation. This study analyzes the relationship between smart urbanization policies and international migration governance within the framework of game theory. The aim of the study is to examine the impact of international migration governance on smart urbanization policies in the context of game theoretic strategies. Within this framework, the study covers the attitudes of two important actors of international migration governance, Turkey and the EU, towards migration and migration policies. A two-player game matrix was constructed, and the equilibrium point of the game was calculated using the maxmin and minmax methods. Based on the results, it was concluded that Türkiye should adapt the temporary admission strategy despite the EU's preference for smart urbanization strategy. The analysis based on the data related to international migration governance, revealed that there is no Nash Equilibrium. In this context, the approach to be adopted is a mixed strategy approach. This will provide a more sustainable and flexible cooperation environment for both migration governance and urbanization policies.