Labour Migrations of Bulgarian Turks to Turkey since 1990. A Case Study on Migrants from Svishtov, Bulgaria
Labour Migrations of Bulgarian Turks to Turkey since 1990. A Case Study on Migrants from Svishtov, Bulgaria

Summary/Abstract: Abstract. Most migrations from Bulgaria to Turkey during the last twenty years have been motivated by economic concerns, unlike previous migration flows caused by the policy of the socialist regime towards Turks and Muslims. This paper is based on ethnographic multi-sited research on migrants from the Bulgarian town of Svishtov who live and work in Istanbul. In the context of economic and co-ethnic migration studies, the paper focuses on the differences between the political and economic migrations. Furthermore, it explores the ways in which more recent migrations follow migration patterns applicable to both the Turkish community and to Bulgarian society more generally. It also seeks to deconstruct the idea of homogeneity between the migrants and the so-called “mother nation” through an analysis of ethnic and cultural (self-) concepts and stereotypes.

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