[...] Since the beginning of Turkish and Kurdish immigrants arriving in Germany as so called guest workers in the 1960s, they have established multiple organisations ranging from totally apolitical associations to the ones with a political focus. The approximate number is estimated at about 1.500 Turkish and Kurdish organizations in the country (see Østergaard-Nielsen 2001, 270).
These organisations can be differentiated between having their focus on immigrant or homeland politics. Whereas immigrant problems on the agenda of an organisation involves politics to improve the situation in the receiving country, such as gaining political, economic and social rights, homeland politics imply the political connections of organisations maintained to the home country in order to affect the domestic or foreign policy (see Østergaard-Nielsen 2001, 262). Although since the 1970s there has been a certain shift from engagement in homeland politics to a stronger political involvement in immigration and German politics in general, Brady mentions that the attempt to influence Turkish politics among the immigrants might have actually increased (see Brady 2004, 49f.). Moreover, Ögelman states that most Turkish and Kurdish organizations in Germany have based their interests on homeland conflicts (see Ögelman 2003, 164). Against this background the paper focuses on the homeland attachments of Turkish and Kurdish political organizations in Germany. It aims to inquire about the forms of homeland ties established and furthermore discusses the reasons for migrants’ mobilisation and participation on homeland political issues. First, I will give an historical overview on the major stages of transnational politcs’ development since the beginning of labour recruitment from Turkey in the 1960s. Then I will go on to describe the transnational ties of Turkish organisations existing in Germany. Due to the high number and the diversity of Turkish organisations in Germany and the importance of the transnational space for the Kurdish movement (see Argun 2001, 125), this paper will particularly focus on the establishment and the ties of Kurdish organisations in Germany. In the third part of this paper I outline the reasons for the establishment of these connections considering Turkey’s and Germany’s influence.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Transnational Practices and Their Development in Germany
3. Connections to Home
4. Factors Promoting Transnational Ties
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper investigates the transnational political attachments of Turkish and Kurdish organizations in Germany, exploring the forms of homeland ties established and the underlying reasons for migrant mobilization regarding home-country issues. It specifically analyzes how these organizations have evolved since the 1960s, shifting between immigrant and homeland politics, and examines the impact of both German and Turkish political opportunity structures.
- Historical development of transnational political practices since the guest worker era.
- Distinction between institutional and non-institutional forms of political engagement.
- The role of Kurdish organizations and the impact of the Turkish-Kurdish conflict on diaspora politics.
- Factors promoting transnational ties, including technological advancement and media consumption.
- The influence of political opportunity structures in Germany and Turkey on immigrant mobilization.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Transnational Practices and Their Development in Germany
The concept of transnationalism arose within the last ten years and has reached the centre of attention in migrant research. Basch et al. first defined transnationalism as “the process by which transmigrants, through their daily activities, forge and sustain multi stranded social, economic, and political relations that link together their societies of origin and settlement, and through which they create transnational social fields that cross national borders’ (Basch et al. 1994, 6). These attachments maintained by migrants to people, traditions and movements can be established in order to pursue political interests. Thus, transnational political practices of organisations, movements and parties can be described as political activities that aim to influence the homeland politics, establish a political system that transgresses national borders, and functions via networks through which members of the diaspora communicate with political actors in the home country (see Koslowski 2001, 1).
The development of transnational political practices of Turkish and Kurdish organisations dates back to the arrival of guest workers in the 1960s. In accordance with the belief that their stay in Germany would be limited and they were to return to their home country soon most migrants generally avoided political organisation and association in the early and mid-1960s. When guest workers organised it mainly served the strengthening of social support. More politicized associations could be found among the labour unions and the student organisations (see Argun 2001, 41). The labour unions as well as the student organisation Almanya Türk Öğrenci Federasyonu (ATÖF), founded in 1962, had established closer links to Turkish politics by the mid-1960s. During this time the homeland ties of organisations were mainly based on the support of parties in Turkey (see Østergaard-Nielsen 2003, 46f.).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the political context of Turkish and Kurdish migrants in Germany and outlines the research objective concerning homeland attachments.
2. Transnational Practices and Their Development in Germany: Provides an historical overview of how organizations evolved from social support groups into entities engaged in transnational politics.
3. Connections to Home: Categorizes political practices into institutional and non-institutional forms and discusses the influence of legal and political environments on these activities.
4. Factors Promoting Transnational Ties: Analyzes how globalization, technology, and political opportunity structures in Germany and Turkey drive migrant mobilization.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings and argues for a less suspicious view of transnational ties, suggesting that integration and transnationalism are not mutually exclusive.
Keywords
Transnationalism, Turkey, Germany, Kurdish organizations, Turkish organizations, guest workers, homeland politics, diaspora, migration, political mobilization, integration, political opportunity structure, PKK, KOMKAR, identity politics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The paper focuses on the transnational political practices of Turkish and Kurdish organizations in Germany, specifically examining their homeland-oriented activities and ties.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The work covers the historical development of these organizations, the classification of their political activities, the role of media and technology in mobilization, and the impact of the host and home countries' political systems.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to understand the forms of homeland ties established by these groups and to identify the reasons behind migrants' mobilization regarding political issues in their home country.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The study employs a qualitative analysis of existing literature, historical reviews of migrant organization development, and an examination of political opportunity structures within Germany and Turkey.
What is addressed in the main body of the text?
The main body details the evolution of political practices from the 1960s onwards, distinguishes between institutional and non-institutional lobbying, and analyzes how citizenship laws and social climate in Germany influence political behavior.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include transnationalism, Turkish and Kurdish organizations, diaspora politics, homeland attachments, and political opportunity structures.
How do German citizenship laws affect the political orientation of these groups?
The paper argues that restricted access to citizenship and political rights in Germany leads migrants to focus their political energy back on their country of origin rather than on host-country politics.
What role did the PKK play in the context of Kurdish organizations in Germany?
The PKK influenced the landscape of Kurdish organizations by mobilizing support for the Kurdish cause, leading to both political advocacy and controversial or illegal actions that eventually resulted in a ban in 1993.
How does the author view the perception of "transnational ties" by German authorities?
The author argues that these ties are often wrongly perceived as a threat to integration and suggests that a more welcoming approach could actually foster better political integration.
- Citar trabajo
- Manuela Paul (Autor), 2008, Transnational Political Practices of Turkish and Kurdish Organisations in Germany , Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/123211
