Aslıhan ÇOBAN BALCI Advisor: Prof. Dr. Ayşe Ayata IMMIGRANT ORGANIZATIONS AND BOUNDARIES OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION: THE CASE OF TURKEY ORIGIN IMMIGRANT ASSOCIATIONS IN GERMANY Aslıhan ÇOBAN BALCI Advisor: Prof. Dr. Ayşe Ayata

Key terms Germany Turkey Immigrant political participation Immigrant associations Islamization Democracy Integration The conception of social capital

Research Subject and Justification The relationship between the effects of the German integration/immigrantion policies and the political participation patterns of Turkey origin immigrant organizations founded in Germany. Important due to two reasons; By the year 2014 Germany has nearly 884,900 immigrants and this number is the highest among the other European countries. By the year 2013 there are nearly 3 million people with Turkey origin living in Germany.

Major Finding of the Study There are two major patterns or understandings of political participation among the immigrant groups with Turkey origin: Participation as Islamic community Participation as individuals

Methodology and Method Primarly a qualitative research Critical realism and interpretative textual analysis is adopted. Engaging in micro (individual), meso (organizational) and macro (state) levels. In-depth interviews Being both insider and outsider

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework The political setting for the immigrants: Germany’s integration policies, National Integration Summit, German Islam Conference, The Foreign Advisory Councils, civic memberships of the immigrants. Institutional and Political Opportunity Structures Approaches: The impacts of the state policies upon immigrant political participation in major European receiving countries. Associational Participation, Organizational Aspects, Social Capital: Characteristics of the immigrant groups and Islamization of immigration

Theoretical Findings and Deficits in the Relevant Literature As a result of different state policies, certain immigrant groups are excluded while some others are included in the public discourse. Approaches of institutional and political opportunity structures presents the conditions of inclusion and exclusion however do not manifest the consequences of it on part of democracy. There is an over emphasis upon the immigrant groups with ethnic or bonding social capital in the literature related to the political participation of immigrants.

Theoretical Findings and Deficits in the Relevant Literature There are few studies which critically scrutinize the affects of rising Islam and Islamization of migration. The reasons behind the public appearance of Islamic immigrant groups are explained but the implications of this fact are not. Muslim immigrant groups has become subject of the inquiry in the immigration literature since nearly ten years.

Theoretical Findings and Deficits in the Relevant Literature The tendency is that whole immigrant community is seen as Muslims rather than as natural citizens. Problems of whole immigrant community is reduced to the problems of Muslim population and this lead to limited and one sided analysis in the literature. Not only analyzing the reasons and/or conditions of inclusion and/or exclusion of the immigrants, it is necessary to reveal the implications of those processes on behalf of the whole immigrant communities and society.

Case Analysis and Structure of the Interviews Two groups of immigrant associations have been analyzed: religious organizations and secular organizations. There is also one between group. Thirty six in-depth interviews with with active or board members of nine different organizations. Three parted interview: Current objectives, activities and interactions Decision making processes and organizational structure The conceptions of political participation, integration, citizenship and democracy

Religious Organizations

Secular Organizations

Empirical Findings There are majorly two distinct patterns and understandings political participation. Alevis and Kurdish groups are in between groups: Alevi groups: In spite of being a religious community, giving weight to individual human rights and considering the rights of other groups, such as Kurds or Sunnis. Kurdish groups: Secular yet their ethnic identity has a priority in struggling for the rights.

Empirical findings related to the activities and interactions Religious organizations Secular organizations Having the potential of changing or at least making a pressure on policy making specifically related to the recognition of Islam in Germany. Having close relationships with German civil society and democratic powers. Successful in putting pressure on policy making processes related to the rights of whole immigrant communities regardless of ethnic, national, religious or gender based distinctions.

Empirical findings related to the activities and interactions Religious organizations Secular organizations Bringing religious services, religious education, charity (aid campaigns) funeral and Haj services. Describing themselves as religious community and fighting for the community rights. Active, professional, demanding religious and cultural recognition and bargaining with the state. In solidarity with similar religious organizations. Supporting the rights of all the oppressed; such as, insecure working conditions of the immigrants. Fighting for the individual rights of their members and interested in individual based integration. Defending supranational rights of refugees and illegal immigrants. In solidarity with any groups with a consideration of the rights of all oppressed irrespective of religious, ethnic, gender differences.

Empirical Findings Religious organizations are the carriers of bonding social capital whereas the secular organizations are disseminating bridging social capital.

Empirical Findings related to organizational and political participation patterns Religious organizations Secular organizations High density reflects their strength and mobilization power. Vertical and hierarchical relationships Bringing religious services to the members is important Conventional channels of political participation, such as, participating in the elections, or being a member of political party. Small sized but effective. Horizontal organizational structure and there is an endeavor of bottom-up decision making processes. Self-development and self-actualization of the members is important. Emphasis on alternative civil participation channels, such as rallies or demonstrations along with the elections.

Empirical Findings related to the Perceptions of Democracy and Integration Religious organizations Secular organizations Percieving democracy as expressing opinions freely, living equal and just. Emphasis on equal social rights, universal values, and togetherness of local and immigrant people. Critical stand toward the integration project of the state, fingind it as unreliable. Percieving democracy as a form of administration or as having enough collective rights. Uttering willingness to integration process performed by the governments. Grasping the dominant discourse of integration and cooperate with the opportunities of the state.

Conclusion Empirical data has revealed that, existing literature is confirming the results only one part of the data. There is a limitation in explaining the political participation patterns generated by different groups, particularly the groups disseminating bridging social capital. This has certain negative effects on social harmony and development of inclusive migration policies as the bridging social capital, symbolizes the network among heterogeneous social groups or different immigrant or non-immigrant groups. There is need for a more compherensive understanding of political participation of immigrants considering different social capital productions.