Foreign in Two Homelands

Michelle Lynn Kahn

Foreign in Two Homelands
Format
Hardback
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Country
United Kingdom
Published
31 October 2024
Pages
350
ISBN
9781009486712

Foreign in Two Homelands

Michelle Lynn Kahn

What happens when migrants are rejected by the host society that first invited them? How do they return to a homeland that considers them outsiders? Foreign in Two Homelands explores the transnational history of Turkish migrants, Germany's largest ethnic minority, who arrived as 'guest-workers' (Gastarbeiter) between 1961 and 1973. By the 1980s, amid rising racism, neo-Nazis and ordinary Germans blamed Turks for unemployment, criticized their Muslim faith, and argued they could never integrate. In 1983, policymakers enacted a controversial law: paying Turks to leave. Thus commenced one of modern Europe's largest and fastest waves of remigration: within one year, 15% of the migrants-250,000 men, women, and children-returned to Turkey. Their homeland, however, ostracized them as culturally estranged 'Germanized Turks' (Almanci). Through archival research and oral history interviews in both countries and languages, Michelle Lynn Kahn highlights migrants' personal stories and reveals how many felt foreign in two homelands. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

Order online and we’ll ship when available (31 October 2024)

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.