Diaspora diplomacy : the politics of Turkish emigration to Europe

This book examines the reasons behind the Turkish state's unprecedented recent interest in its diaspora, details new political activism in Europe among the Turkish diaspora and explores how Turkey's growing sway over its overseas population has affected intra-diaspora politics and Turkey's diplomatic relations with Europe. -- . In unpacking Turkey's diaspora diplomacy, the book first examines the continuities and changes in Turkey's diaspora policies from the 1960s to the present day and offers a conceptual framework to understand this transformation. Based on cross-country analysis, it presents the first in-depth study of the Turkish diaspora's post-2003 role as an agent of diplomatic goals and explores the plethora of transnational and international tensions that emerged from this process. It illustrates that Turkey has empowered the conservative elements of the Turkish diaspora and has begun to see them as Turkey's 'ambassadors abroad'. Yet Turkey's selective preferment has caused resentment among disregarded diaspora groups, weakened Turkey's diaspora diplomacy and generated unrest within Europe. While diaspora diplomacy is not the only element harming Turkey's relationship with the EU, it has nonetheless been a significant and overlooked contribution to the worsening of relations Front-matter 1 Cover 1 Half-title 2 Key Studies in Diplomacy 3 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Contents 6 Figure and tables 7 Acknowledgements 8 Abbreviations 11 Chronology of key events 14 Introduction 18 ‘From guest workers to brothers and sisters’: The transformation of Turkey’s diaspora engagement policies 46 ‘You are our ambassadors’: Turkey’s changing relations with its diaspora in France 79 ‘The creation of a new Turkey will start in Germany’: Turkey’s changing relations with its diaspora in Germany 107 ‘Selective engagement’: Mobilising a fragmented diaspora and the limits of diaspora diplomacy 137 ‘Let us learn from them’: France’s response to Turkey’s changing relations with its diaspora 160 ‘Islam does not belong to Germany’: Germany’s response to Turkey’s changing relations with its diaspora 185 Conclusion 210 Select bibliography 226 Index 236