Home States and Homeland Politics

This book draws on the literatures of transnationalism and diaspora studies to explore the ways in which the policies of emigrant-sending countries have an influence on how emigrants politically engage on issues related to their homelands. Drawing on over one hundred interviews with policy makers, diplomats, bureaucrats, members of civil society and academics in Turkey, France and the United States, it offers a comparison of the engagement of Turkish migrants with political issues in Turkey in periods both before and after home state policies have been constructed with a view to engaging emigrants. As such, it will appeal to scholars of sociology and politics with interests in diaspora and the engagement of migrants with political issues in their countries of origin.

Damla B. Aksel is Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Migration Research Center at Koç University, Turkey. She is the co-editor of Migration around Turkey: Old Phenomena, New Research.

1. Introduction 2. Linking Home State Policies and Homeland Politics: Retracing Existing Theories and Concepts 3. "Take It or Leave It": Turkey's Policies for Emigrants before 2003 4. Politics of Emigrants: Citizens of Turkey in France and the U.S. before 2003 5. Expanding Beyond Material Boundaries: Policies for "Citizens Abroad" in the Post-6. 2003 Period 6. Politics of Emigrants: Citizens of Turkey in France and the U.S. after 2003 7. Conclusion