The Anthropologists offers a profound meditation on the nature of belonging in an increasingly globalized world, exploring how cultural displacement shapes identity and relationships. Through the experiences of Manu and Asya, two expatriates navigating life in a foreign city, Savaş reveals that belonging is not simply about geographical location but rather a complex negotiation between multiple cultural scripts, economic realities, and personal desires.

The novel's central metaphor of the apartment hunt brilliantly encapsulates the characters' broader search for belonging. Manu and Asya's inability to find a suitable home reflects their struggle to locate themselves within their adopted city, while their specific criteria—particularly requiring space for extended family visits—reveals the tension between integration and maintaining connections to their origins. Their desire for homes that can accommodate months-long visits, like those common in their home countries, underscores the compromises inherent in...