African migrations toward Turkey: beyond the stepping stone

Abstract

The notion of transit migration emerged in policy discourse during the 1990s. Various meanings have been assigned to the notion of transit migrant or transit migration'. In this paper we argue that these are constructed categories which are unable to address fully or to describe a range of complex experiences, political contexts and global realities. We first argue that the construction of transit has primarily taken place within the context of European securitization policy. We next expose the limits of such a construction in the light of African migrant experiences in Turkey. Our empirical data shows that while the category of transit migrant generated out of the European securitization agenda can fit some of these experiences, there are also distinctive African migrant experiences in Turkey which cannot be stretched easily into this category and thus it becomes an overloaded category. Furthermore, we aim to highlight what we identify as a new migratory system stretched between Turkey and Africa, these modalities of operation and the expected changes for Turkey.Keywords: Transit, African migrants, Turkey, European securitization, Migratory system Afrika'dan Türkiye'ye Göç: Atlama Tahtasından ÖteyeÖzet 1990'lı yılların siyasi söyleminde ortaya çıkan 'transit göç' veya 'transit göçmen' kavramlarına çeşitli anlamlar yüklenmiştir. Biz bu makalede, bir dizi karmaşık tecrübeyi, siyasi bağlamı ve küresel gerçekliği tam olarak işaret etmekte veya tanımlamakta kifayetsiz kalan söz konusu kavramların inşa edilmiş kategoriler olduklarını savunuyoruz. İlk olarak transitin inşasının Avrupa güvenlik politikası çerçevesinde cereyan etmiş olduğunu gösteriyoruz. Daha sonra Türkiye'deki Afrikalı göçmenlerin tecrübeleri ışığında bu kavramın sınırlarını gözler önüne seriyoruz. Elde ettiğimiz ampirik verilere dayanarak, Avrupa güvenlik gündeminin bir sonucu olarak ortaya çıkan transit göçmen kategorisinin bu tecrübelerin bir kısmına uygun düşmekle beraber hatırı sayılır diğer bir kısmının ise bu başlık altına sıkıştırılamayacağını; dolayısıyla bu kategorinin aşırı yüklenmiş bir hal aldığını söylüyoruz. Ayrıca, Türkiye ile Afrika arasında gelişen, yeni bir göç sistemi olarak tanımladığımız sürecin, harekât biçimlerinin ve Türkiye için beklenen değişikliklerin altını çiziyoruz.

Europe is no longer the only ‘El Dorado’ for sub-Saharan Africans: the case of contemporary Senegalese migration to Turkey

“…Europe was no longer their preferred destination. These findings relate to the findings reported by Fait (2013), Şaul (2014), Schapendonk (2011) and Suter (2012) on sub-Saharan Africans in Turkey, illustrating the complexity and dynamic character of migration and the difficulty to use the transit concept to define migration patterns based on onward migration aspirations. Given this dynamic nature, Düvell (2008b, p. 3) concludes that:…”

“…Globalization has increased people's aspirations and awareness of opportunities in previously unknown countries. The findings reported by Fait (2013) and Şaul (2014) in their studies on sub-Saharan Africans in Istanbul also appear to support this thesis. Both authors show how, contrary to popular assumptions, not all sub-Saharan Africans migrate to Turkey with the sole aspiration of onward migration to Europe.…”

“…Questioning the transit hypothesis on sub-Saharan Africans' presence in Turkey: the stories of Senegalese in Istanbul It is remarkable that despite the lack of empirical evidence, the transit hypothesis on the presence of sub-Saharan Africans in Turkey is taken for granted in both academic and political discourses. However, it cannot be denied that the few available researches specifically on sub-Saharan Africans in Turkey do provide some valuable insights (see Brewer & Yükseker, 2006;Fait, 2013;Şaul, 2014;Schapendonk, 2011;Suter, 2012). In the same vein as my research, these authors aim to shed light on a phenomenon that until now has largely escaped scholarly attention.…”

“…However, it cannot be denied that the few available researches specifically on sub-Saharan Africans in Turkey do provide some valuable insights (see Brewer & Yükseker, 2006;Fait, 2013;Şaul, 2014;Schapendonk, 2011;Suter, 2012). In the same vein as my research, these authors aim to shed light on a phenomenon that until now has largely escaped scholarly attention.…”

“…The focus lays either on understanding sub-Saharan African migrants' transit situations in Turkey (Brewer & Yükseker, 2006;Suter, 2012) or on understanding their journeys towards Europe (Schapendonk, 2011). Fait (2013) and Şaul (2014), however, distance themselves from this Eurocentric perspective by presenting an understanding of sub-Saharan Africans' migration to Turkey that does more justice to the diversity of reality. Although acknowledging that the transit status of Turkey is not a myth at all (Fait, 2013), at the same time they demonstrate that this is not true for all sub-Saharan Africans.…”