Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Bilgili, Ozge
Author-Workplace-Name: Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, Maastricht University
Author-Name: Siegel, Melissa
Author-Email: Melissa.Siegel@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Author-Workplace-Name: Maastricht Graduate School of Governance, Maastricht University
Title: Understanding the changing role of the Turkish diaspora
Abstract: Migration dynamics from Turkey have considerably changed over the last 
	 60 years, which has produced a vast diaspora of around 5 million people. 
	 The diaspora's role in the early years of Turkish (labour) migration was 
	 characterized in economic terms (remittances and return migration), with 
	 the idea that the diaspora would contribute to the country's economic 
	 development and welfare. By the time Turkey witnessed economic 
	 liberalization in the 1980s, and a transition from temporary migration 
	 to permanent settlement of its migrant citizens abroad, the diaspora's 
	 obligations toward Turkey did not decline, but changed strategically in 
	 favour of the country's political objectives. Turkey now sees its 
	 diaspora as a lobbying power both for internal and external relations of 
	 the country, and more specifically as its representatives in Europe 
	 legitimizing Turkey's claim to EU citizenship. Accordingly, today the 
	 policies and Turkish institutions concerned with the diaspora focus not 
	 on financial engagement, but on the successful integration of the 
	 diaspora in the destination countries, which is expected to consequently 
	 benefit the country's image and political claims.
Classification-JEL: J61
Keywords: Turkey, Diapora, Diaspora Engagement, Migration and Development 
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2011
Number: 2011-039
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2011/wp2011-039.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2011039