How do host states attempt to speed up returns of refugees before peacebuilding and the lack of official arrangements with the home state? Building on the conceptual framework, which coalesces governing practices, strategic narratives, and issue linkages, the article explains the early stages of policy formulation and discourses on refugee returns. Empirically, it draws from Turkey’s return initiatives targeting Syrians since 2016. It argues that the Turkish government seeks to advance in (1) practices promoting self-organized voluntary returns of a small number of refugees and (2) the preparation of ground for mass repatriation and resettlement back to Northern Syria. The strategic return narrative has 2-fold target audiences and aims. While keeping the domestic constituency stands as the main motivation by conveying the message of ‘Syrians are returning’, legitimizing unilateral cross-border interventions targets the international audience. The article contributes to the lack of research on the governance of refugee returns by examining the host states’ strategic narrating in relation to the domestic and geopolitical interests.

中文翻译：

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叙利亚难民返回的治理实践和战略叙述

东道国如何在建设和平以及与母国缺乏正式安排之前尝试加快难民返回？文章基于将治理实践、战略叙述和问题联系结合在一起的概念框架，解释了政策制定的早期阶段和关于难民返回的讨论。从经验上看，它借鉴了土耳其自 2016 年以来针对叙利亚人的遣返倡议。 它认为土耳其政府寻求在 (1) 促进少数难民自行组织自愿返回的做法和 (2) 为大规模遣返准备基础并重新安置回叙利亚北部。战略回报叙述有两个目标受众和目标。在通过传达“叙利亚人正在返回”的信息来保持国内选民作为主要动机的同时，将针对国际受众的单边跨境干预合法化。这篇文章通过考察东道国与国内和地缘政治利益相关的战略叙述，导致了对难民返回治理研究的缺乏。