MOBILITY AND ARMENIAN BELONGING IN CONTEMPORARY TURKEY : migratory routes and the meaning of the... local

What remains and becomes Armenian in a historically informed moment of increased mobility? Taking an anthropological approach with ethnographic data collected from Turkey and Armenia over the course of almost 10 years, this book focuses on themes of migration, human movement, community-making and the conditions that facilitate mobility and place-making. Looking at case studies ranging from bus and taxi drivers travelling between Armenia and Turkey to undocumented migrants deported from Turkey and now living in Armenian cities and Armenian residents of Istanbul, the author provides a vivid description of contemporary non-Muslim life in Turkey through the lives of Armenian Turkish citizens and undocumented migrants from Armenia, as well as Greek, Jewish and Kurdish communities. The author provides both a critical account of how historical and more contemporary forms of violence and structural discrimination have targeted Armenians in the country, and also focuses on the re-articulations and the appropriation of a sense of belonging by these and other minority communities. "What remains and becomes Armenian in a historically informed moment of increased mobility? Taking an anthropological approach using ethnographic data collected from Turkey and Armenia spanning over almost 10 years, this book focuses on themes of migration, human movement, community making and the conditions that reproduce contexts of mobility and place-making. Looking at case studies ranging from drivers between Armenia and Turkey, undocumented migrants deported from Turkey now living in Armenian cities and Armenian migrants in contemporary Istanbul neighbourhoods, the author provides a vivid description of contemporary non-Muslim life in Turkey through the lives of Armenian citizens of Turkey and undocumented migrants from Armenia, as well as Greek, Jewish and Kurdish communities. The author provides both a critical account of how historical and more contemporary forms of violence and structural discrimination have targeted Armenians in the country, and also focuses on the re-articulations and the appropriation of a sense of belonging by these and other minority communities."-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Contents 8 List of figures 9 Acknowledgements 10 Notes on language 11 Introduction 14 A prelude: Lost in Georgia 40 Chapter 1 Taking the bus on the way from homes 44 Chapter 2 Expanding outsides in Armenia 68 Chapter 3 Making centres at the margins in Turkey 86 Chapter 4 Following new roads in old homelands 106 Chapter 5 Building homes of unity 122 Chapter 6 Taking the slow boat to Istanbul 152 Chapter 7 An island that is no more 164 Conclusion 180 Epilogue: Crossing back to Georgia in a changing world 188 Notes 193 Bibliography 199 Index 217