While there is research about migration literature to the UK by various authors of different ethnicities, social or economic backgrounds with different motives as well, there is still a lack of British literature on Turkish migration to the UK. Thus, in the following paper, my own experience of migration is the motivation for the work in hand and will present and analyse Turkish Literature in English, mainly exploring the topic of Turkish migration to the UK. First, the migration background of Turkish immigrants in the United Kingdom will be analysed in contrast to the third and the second generation to show differences of second- and third-generation migrants and whether it is a way of assimilation.
Considering the UK’s history with Commonwealth countries, there is a lot of literature about South Asian immigrants to the UK. Even with Samuel Selvon as a “Caribbean novelist and short-story writer of East Indian descent”, a writer born in Trinidad and being an immigrant himself, it is visible that research has been done on the topic of migration and the diaspora experience on the topic of the Caribbean. In his most successful book called The Lonely Londoner, the diaspora experience is in focus. On the other hand, The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla “brings together twenty emerging British BAME writers, poets, journalists and artists “, that confront the issue of poverty of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic [...] Groups” in Britain. Moreover, European migration to the UK is also represented as seen in e.g. Agniezka Dale’s short stories about Polish migration, where even four of them were added to BBC Radio 4, among them the short story A Happy Nation released in 2017.
Table of Contents
1. Roots
2. Background of Turkish migration
3. Turkish migration in the United Kingdom
3.1 Second-Generation immigrants
3.2 Third-Generation immigrants
3.3 Roots or assimilation?
4. Turkish Literature in Britain
5. Narratology by Franz K. Stanzel
5.1 The Good Immigrant by Nikesh Shukla
5.2 My name is my name by Chimene Suleyman
6. Windrush Scandal and outcome
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper explores the limited landscape of British literature concerning Turkish migration, analyzing how second- and third-generation immigrants navigate identity, assimilation, and the "hostile environment" of the UK through the lens of Franz K. Stanzel's narratology.
- Analysis of the historical background and political drivers of Turkish migration to the UK.
- Examination of the socio-cultural differences between second- and third-generation immigrants.
- Comparative theoretical study using Stanzel’s narratology to interpret themes of integration and assimilation.
- Exploration of individual migrant experiences through the analysis of short stories and personal identity markers.
Excerpt from the Book
5.2 My name is my name by Chimene Suleyman
The title of the essay depicts an introduction to the content of the essay, which deals with the significance of language. Through the process of translating proper names into an English form to simplify the pronunciation or spelling of the name, the narrator steps up to the fear of rejection. “People who have a fear of rejection are afraid of not being liked, being abandoned, not fitting in or being alone.” (Risser 2022). A good example of how children of migrants’ cope with the fear of rejection according to Suleyman (2016) is that they “become chameleons navigating the land” and by “answering to white slave names put upon black nations, searching for directions.” (Suleyman 2016: 74). Suleyman (2016) in is a sizeable exploration modus for her Turkish heritage through the history of her family, past wars and indeed, the assimilation of her very own name.
At the beginning of the essay of Suleyman (2016), she finds herself in a hostile environment caused by her teacher. She writes her name in a different writing on the desk, “Şimen“ instead of Chimene. What she knows is that being called “whiter-sounding nickname[s]” was easier to deal with. Suleyman writes about the “Anglicisation” that even her parents knew stood for easiness and less effort. Suleyman felt that her mother and father realized early that the name Chimene could be easily changed into something hurtful, but it is important to mention that the origin of her name is indeed of French origin, namely after “the French play Le Cid” by Corneille. (Suleyman 2016: 31)1.
Summary of Chapters
1. Roots: This chapter introduces the motivation behind the research and acknowledges the relative absence of Turkish-British migration literature compared to other diaspora populations.
2. Background of Turkish migration: This section defines migration and the "hostile environment" in the UK, providing context on why Turkish citizens have historically migrated to Britain.
3. Turkish migration in the United Kingdom: This chapter details the historical waves of migration from Turkey and examines the generational differences and identity struggles of those residing in the UK.
4. Turkish Literature in Britain: This chapter documents the research process, illustrating the lack of explicit Turkish-British literature found within public catalogs.
5. Narratology by Franz K. Stanzel: This chapter introduces the narrative theory used to analyze Chimene Suleyman’s essay, categorizing narrative structures.
6. Windrush Scandal and outcome: The final chapter summarizes the findings, reflecting on the difficulty of finding specific literature and suggesting future directions for academic study.
Keywords
Turkish migration, United Kingdom, assimilation, integration, narratology, Franz K. Stanzel, second-generation, third-generation, identity, Chimene Suleyman, Nikesh Shukla, diaspora, hostile environment, literature analysis, Turkish-British.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the experiences of Turkish immigrants in the UK and investigates the significant lack of available literature representing these stories compared to other migrant groups.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Central themes include the distinction between second- and third-generation immigrant identity, the processes of assimilation versus integration, and the struggle to maintain cultural identity in a "hostile environment."
What is the main objective or research question?
The primary objective is to analyze Turkish migration experiences in the UK and understand why there is a disproportionate scarcity of Turkish-British literary works documenting these experiences.
Which scientific methodology does the author utilize?
The author employs a document-based research approach and utilizes Franz K. Stanzel’s narratology, along with concepts from Gérard Genette, to analyze personal storytelling in essays.
What does the main body analyze?
The body covers historical migration drivers, differentiates generational experiences, documents the unsuccessful search for existing Turkish-British literary novels, and performs a close reading of Chimene Suleyman’s work.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Turkish migration, assimilation, narratology, diaspora, and Turkish-British literature.
How is the "hostile environment" specifically related to the experiences of migrants?
The "hostile environment" refers to political and social conditions in the UK that force immigrants to navigate difficult bureaucratic and social barriers, often leading to personal identity crises as depicted in the analyzed stories.
Why was Chimene Suleyman’s essay used as a case study?
Due to the unexpected unavailability of the selected comparative book "Turks in London" by Semra Eren-Nijhar, Suleyman's essay "My name is my name" was used as a substitute to demonstrate migrant identity issues.
How does the author define the distinction between second- and third-generation immigrants?
The author distinguishes them based on their level of connection to the heritage culture, social integration, and the degree of cultural assimilation into the mainstream host society.
Does the paper reach a definitive conclusion on Turkish-British literature?
The paper concludes that there is an urgent need for more personal literature from the first- or second-generation of Turkic people in Britain to better understand and document their diverse life experiences.
- Quote paper
- Ayse Sen (Author), 2022, Turkish Migration Literature in the UK, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1335526
