Between Passports and Belongings: Armenian citizenship acquisition among Armenians of Turkey

ABSTRACT Armenians of Turkey have recently been applying for citizenship in Armenia in growing numbers. Based on research in Istanbul and Yerevan, we examine the contextual developments in both countries that contributed to the emergence of this practice, the motivations that Armenian citizenship applicants are guided by, and the implications of the process on their feelings and expressions of belonging. This move of many Armenians of Turkey appears to be mostly a strategic choice motivated by recent developments in the two countries (2015-2020). The Armenian passport is seen as a tool that could enable mobility from increasingly precarious Turkey. However, our analysis also reveals dimensions and implications of this praxis that transcend mere instrumentalism and relate to affective realms of belonging. To some of its holders, the newly acquired Armenian citizenship represents an opportunity or hope for a fully recognised belonging, in contrast to their traditional step-citizenship in Turkey.