Continuation of political conflicts or a new beginning? Turkish refugees in North Rhine-Westphalia

Abstract

Since the failed coup attempt by parts of the Turkish military against President Erdogan in the summer of 2016, the Turkish government has suspended more than 100,000 civil servants on the pretext that they had planned a coup. Out of fear of persecution and arbitrary arrests, around 21,000 Turkish citizens have since applied for asylum in Germany. Many of them found refuge in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). At the same time, communities of people with a migration background related to Turkey have been living in this federal state, particularly in the large cities, since the 1960s. This Working Paper examines how members of both groups in NRW perceive each other and how they interact with each other in everyday life, which conflicts arise, and how the political developments in Turkey affect these processes. The study shows that Turkish refugees experience solidarity and sympathy from people with a Turkey-related migration background and their organisations, but also encounter some hostility from them in everyday life. This reflects the strong polarisation within the communities of people with a Turkey-related migration background in NRW since 2016, which the Working Paper also addresses. The author advocates a differentiated, empirically-based approach to the subject area and strongly warns against generalisations. Approaches to conflict resolution must incorporate the complexity of actors and interactions, as well as the diversity of opinions and positions within communities with a connection to Turkey.