Reimagining the homeland: diasporic belonging among Turkish and Kurdish second generations in Italy

Abstract

This paper analyzes the experiences of children of immigrants coming to Italy from Turkey. It does so by using in-depth interviews and looking at how they conceptualize their sense of belonging to their home country and the transnational ties that they maintain in relation to their parents’ experience. The participants in this research grew up in families whose intention was not to remain in Italy but to continue their journey to Germany. Like their parents, the second-generation members also want to build their lives in Germany, however, the meaning attributed to this place is very different. For these young people, Germany and its diasporas offer a source of identity. Put otherwise, in addition to what Germany can offer in terms of services and economic opportunities, they are also attracted to what diasporas can offer: being Turks and Kurds in Germany. By allowing them to reconnect with the cultural memories of their homeland and enjoy the opportunities and rights offered by a developed country, Germany becomes a diasporic homeland in which to plan a future, a place where, to quote one of them, “one feels at home in the heart of Europe”. The idea of a homeland, then, is not only transformed – it is duplicated.

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