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Abstract
This paper presents the findings of a comparative qualitative study of Turks who migrated to Istanbul from elsewhere in the country, and Turks who immigrated to Berlin. The main objective of the study is to describe and explain the segregation process affecting Turks in both cities. As the paper focuses on the process of segregation, the article follows the three basic stages along which the history of Turkish (im)migration to Germany and Istanbul has proceeded: the labour migrant stage, the family reunification stage and the settlement stage. Voices of (im)migrants are presented throughout the paper by reflecting their perceptions, values, experiences and dilemmas. The paper argues that internal differences within immigrant groups deserve more attention in order to better understand why some of them, despite being able to afford it, do not move out of concentration areas for better housing opportunities. In this context, the paper focuses on the internal cultural differentiation of Turkish migrants in Istanbul and Turkish immigrants in Berlin, with particular reference to their highly divergent religious understandings. We argue that conservatism—especially when it takes its roots from Islamism—has played an important role in shaping the residential preferences and choices of individuals.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Umut Duyar-Kienast, an urban planner living in Berlin, for her unforgettable help during the study visit in Berlin in December 2003 and afterwards.
Notes
1. The term ‘Turk’ is used to signify the national identity of the citizens of the Republic of Turkey without reference to an ethnic group.