Türkisch und Deutsch: Shifting Understandings of the German, the Citizen, and the Foreign

This paper follows the history, role, and perception of Turkish-Germans as Germany developed into an immigrant country but remained with a narrow concept of Germanness. I explain how the country did not historically consider itself a nation of immigration, apparent in its citizenship requirements, lack of coherent immigrant policy, and pushback against foreigners. Germany still has difficulty seeing those with different backgrounds as German; an intricate system of exclusion has developed over the years, changing and evolving but remaining in place