Islamophobia from the inside: how Turkish immigrants responded to the securitization of integration in Germany and the Netherlands

Although there is a vast literature on the securitization and Islamophobia phenomena in Western societies, there is relatively less research about the perceptions and mobilization of Muslim immigrants in the West, especially Turks, with respect to these phenomena. Therefore, the research set out to explore whether there has been any change in the forms of mobilization of Turkish immigrants in Germany and the Netherlands after 9/11 as a response to the securitization of integration. The present comparative study identified not only the changes after 9/11, but also the main similarities and differences between the two cases. Characteristics of Turkish immigrants and the context of reception, as well as the subjective aspects (such as perceptions, feelings, emotions, and so on) related to the issue were taken into account in the study. From the methodological perspective, the study employed a mixed methods research approach by including interviews, participant observation, and a quantitative analysis of population and political representation data. In total, in Germany and the Netherlands, 27 face to face semi-structured interviews were conducted with either the representatives of Turkish organizations or the political party members that originated from Turkey. The study concluded that Turkish immigrants in both countries have been negatively affected by the securitization process. They felt that they faced more problems (such as discrimination, hate crimes, more restrictive policies towards them, and so on) in their contexts after 9/11. Along with these perceptions, the changes in their characteristics and the context of reception played an important role in their mobilization in this process. The study revealed that they became more mobilized and organized after 9/11. After evaluating the motives and objectives of mobilization and acculturation strategies of Turkish immigrants, the study identified three main forms of mobilization (political, social, and cultural) as a response to the securitization of integration. Not only differences between the characteristics of Turkish immigrants in Germany and the Netherlands but also dissimilarities in their receiving contexts resulted in differences in their political mobilization approaches. However, their social and cultural mobilization approaches in both countries have mainly been similar.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical referencesIncludes vitaby Esref Ertur