Papers by Sebnem Koser Akcapar
Existing research on international migration has focused on the importance
of social networks and... more Existing research on international migration has focused on the importance
of social networks and social capital in the countries of origin and
destination. However, much less is known about the importance of social
networks and associated social capital in transit countries. Drawing on ethnographic
research on Iranian transit migrants in Turkey, this paper
argues that migrant networks and social capital are equally important in
transit countries. These networks, however, do not always generate positive
social capital for Iranian migrants as there are scarce resources and
there is no ‘‘enforceable trust’’. Iranian migrant networks reorganized in a
transit country like Turkey are not static structures and they are largely
affected by macro-variables such as current immigration and asylum policies
of Turkey and Europe, transnationalism and globalization, and other
place-specific features like Turkey’s location bridging East and West, the
existence of human smuggling networks, and its proximity to Iran. But
Iranian migrant networks in Turkey are also affected by micro-variables,
such as gender, religion, and ethnicity of individual migrants.
The role of religion during migration processes has been overlooked by
scholars in the past altho... more The role of religion during migration processes has been overlooked by
scholars in the past although the relationship between religion and migration
has a long history. Normally, religion is considered as an integrating
agent, but for some Iranian asylum seekers in Turkey, religion and
especially religious conversion is used as a tool for migration. This article
draws on the migration histories of Iranian asylum seekers in Turkey who
initially intended to go further west only to have stayed in Turkey either
because of the long procedures of asylum application in Turkey or because
they were rejected and have become “illegal aliens” who do not want to return
to Iran. Turkey still preserves geographic limitation of the 1951 Geneva
Convention on Refugees. Therefore it does not accept non-European
asylum seekers to settle on Turkish soil. Ironically, however, most asylum
applications were made by people from the Middle East, mainly from Iran.
Based on the extensive fieldwork carried out in various cities in Turkey where
the Iranian migrants are heavily concentrated, this article demonstrates
how conversion from Shi’a Islam to Christianity is used as a migration
strategy and how and to what extent these asylum seekers use religion and
their newly acquired social and religious networks within churches of the
transit country to reach ultimately the West as refugees. As conversion is
sustained through social networks as well as churches and missionaries,
this unique situation can be explained by employing the social capital
theory within the context of an institutional component.
ABSTRACT Migrant associations have always been an important feature of migrant communities,
assum... more ABSTRACT Migrant associations have always been an important feature of migrant communities,
assuming a significant role towards identity formation and integration in the host society.
Such organizations also create an important transnational link between countries of origin and
settlement. Using the example of Turkish associations in the United States and their institutionalization
process, this essay argues that organizational dynamics of immigrants are greatly
affected by the general attitude towards immigrants in the host country and homeland policies
regarding emigrants (macro level), their relations with other ethnic groups already resident in
the host country (meso level), and the status of immigrants and some of their pre-migration
characteristics (micro level).
ABSTRACT Migrant associations have always been an important feature of migrant communities,
assum... more ABSTRACT Migrant associations have always been an important feature of migrant communities,
assuming a significant role towards identity formation and integration in the host society.
Such organizations also create an important transnational link between countries of origin and
settlement. Using the example of Turkish associations in the United States and their institutionalization
process, this essay argues that organizational dynamics of immigrants are greatly
affected by the general attitude towards immigrants in the host country and homeland policies
regarding emigrants (macro level), their relations with other ethnic groups already resident in
the host country (meso level), and the status of immigrants and some of their pre-migration
characteristics (micro level).
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Papers by Sebnem Koser Akcapar
of social networks and social capital in the countries of origin and
destination. However, much less is known about the importance of social
networks and associated social capital in transit countries. Drawing on ethnographic
research on Iranian transit migrants in Turkey, this paper
argues that migrant networks and social capital are equally important in
transit countries. These networks, however, do not always generate positive
social capital for Iranian migrants as there are scarce resources and
there is no ‘‘enforceable trust’’. Iranian migrant networks reorganized in a
transit country like Turkey are not static structures and they are largely
affected by macro-variables such as current immigration and asylum policies
of Turkey and Europe, transnationalism and globalization, and other
place-specific features like Turkey’s location bridging East and West, the
existence of human smuggling networks, and its proximity to Iran. But
Iranian migrant networks in Turkey are also affected by micro-variables,
such as gender, religion, and ethnicity of individual migrants.
scholars in the past although the relationship between religion and migration
has a long history. Normally, religion is considered as an integrating
agent, but for some Iranian asylum seekers in Turkey, religion and
especially religious conversion is used as a tool for migration. This article
draws on the migration histories of Iranian asylum seekers in Turkey who
initially intended to go further west only to have stayed in Turkey either
because of the long procedures of asylum application in Turkey or because
they were rejected and have become “illegal aliens” who do not want to return
to Iran. Turkey still preserves geographic limitation of the 1951 Geneva
Convention on Refugees. Therefore it does not accept non-European
asylum seekers to settle on Turkish soil. Ironically, however, most asylum
applications were made by people from the Middle East, mainly from Iran.
Based on the extensive fieldwork carried out in various cities in Turkey where
the Iranian migrants are heavily concentrated, this article demonstrates
how conversion from Shi’a Islam to Christianity is used as a migration
strategy and how and to what extent these asylum seekers use religion and
their newly acquired social and religious networks within churches of the
transit country to reach ultimately the West as refugees. As conversion is
sustained through social networks as well as churches and missionaries,
this unique situation can be explained by employing the social capital
theory within the context of an institutional component.
assuming a significant role towards identity formation and integration in the host society.
Such organizations also create an important transnational link between countries of origin and
settlement. Using the example of Turkish associations in the United States and their institutionalization
process, this essay argues that organizational dynamics of immigrants are greatly
affected by the general attitude towards immigrants in the host country and homeland policies
regarding emigrants (macro level), their relations with other ethnic groups already resident in
the host country (meso level), and the status of immigrants and some of their pre-migration
characteristics (micro level).
assuming a significant role towards identity formation and integration in the host society.
Such organizations also create an important transnational link between countries of origin and
settlement. Using the example of Turkish associations in the United States and their institutionalization
process, this essay argues that organizational dynamics of immigrants are greatly
affected by the general attitude towards immigrants in the host country and homeland policies
regarding emigrants (macro level), their relations with other ethnic groups already resident in
the host country (meso level), and the status of immigrants and some of their pre-migration
characteristics (micro level).
of social networks and social capital in the countries of origin and
destination. However, much less is known about the importance of social
networks and associated social capital in transit countries. Drawing on ethnographic
research on Iranian transit migrants in Turkey, this paper
argues that migrant networks and social capital are equally important in
transit countries. These networks, however, do not always generate positive
social capital for Iranian migrants as there are scarce resources and
there is no ‘‘enforceable trust’’. Iranian migrant networks reorganized in a
transit country like Turkey are not static structures and they are largely
affected by macro-variables such as current immigration and asylum policies
of Turkey and Europe, transnationalism and globalization, and other
place-specific features like Turkey’s location bridging East and West, the
existence of human smuggling networks, and its proximity to Iran. But
Iranian migrant networks in Turkey are also affected by micro-variables,
such as gender, religion, and ethnicity of individual migrants.
scholars in the past although the relationship between religion and migration
has a long history. Normally, religion is considered as an integrating
agent, but for some Iranian asylum seekers in Turkey, religion and
especially religious conversion is used as a tool for migration. This article
draws on the migration histories of Iranian asylum seekers in Turkey who
initially intended to go further west only to have stayed in Turkey either
because of the long procedures of asylum application in Turkey or because
they were rejected and have become “illegal aliens” who do not want to return
to Iran. Turkey still preserves geographic limitation of the 1951 Geneva
Convention on Refugees. Therefore it does not accept non-European
asylum seekers to settle on Turkish soil. Ironically, however, most asylum
applications were made by people from the Middle East, mainly from Iran.
Based on the extensive fieldwork carried out in various cities in Turkey where
the Iranian migrants are heavily concentrated, this article demonstrates
how conversion from Shi’a Islam to Christianity is used as a migration
strategy and how and to what extent these asylum seekers use religion and
their newly acquired social and religious networks within churches of the
transit country to reach ultimately the West as refugees. As conversion is
sustained through social networks as well as churches and missionaries,
this unique situation can be explained by employing the social capital
theory within the context of an institutional component.
assuming a significant role towards identity formation and integration in the host society.
Such organizations also create an important transnational link between countries of origin and
settlement. Using the example of Turkish associations in the United States and their institutionalization
process, this essay argues that organizational dynamics of immigrants are greatly
affected by the general attitude towards immigrants in the host country and homeland policies
regarding emigrants (macro level), their relations with other ethnic groups already resident in
the host country (meso level), and the status of immigrants and some of their pre-migration
characteristics (micro level).
assuming a significant role towards identity formation and integration in the host society.
Such organizations also create an important transnational link between countries of origin and
settlement. Using the example of Turkish associations in the United States and their institutionalization
process, this essay argues that organizational dynamics of immigrants are greatly
affected by the general attitude towards immigrants in the host country and homeland policies
regarding emigrants (macro level), their relations with other ethnic groups already resident in
the host country (meso level), and the status of immigrants and some of their pre-migration
characteristics (micro level).