TRANS-LOCALITY AMONG KURDS – THE CASE OF TURKEY

Abstract

The article aims at presenting trans-local aspects of Kurdish society and especially trans-local ties maintained by Kurds in Turkey, particularly in Istanbul. Inspired by transnational theories in migration and diaspora studies, the author proposes a categorization of Kurdish migration waves and waves of internal migration in Turkey. Drawing on in-depth interviews conducted with Kurds in Istanbul, the paper depicts ways of maintaining ties with the country’s Kurdish regions and types of social organizing around their culture and perceived needs. The paper also offers insights into contemporary Kurdish migration in Turkey, leading to the conclusion that although trans-locality has often been forced on Kurds, the socio-political situation in 2002–2015 led to the emergence of a new, trans-local, socially active Kurdish elite in Turkey