Paper short abstract:

In Germany, many elderly Turkish migrants move back and forth between these two countries. By means of bi-local field research these transnational life-concepts are revealed from the perspective of subjects and are analyzed from a socio-scientific hermeneutic perspective.

Paper long abstract:

Recently, a new type of migration has developed in Germany. It is characterized by the continual movement between the migrants' country of origin and Germany. This presentation will focus on seniors with a Turkish background who continually move back and forth between Germany and Turkey. This work is embedded in a PhD-project concerned with the transnational life-concepts of this group of migrants. Both countries are examined with a bi-local field research approach incorporating semi-structured interviews, thick description and participative and distanced observation - performed in Germany and Turkey. Two field data collections have been performed, one in Germany and the other in Turkey. The social contacts of these migrants outside of family are dominated by people with similar life concepts in both countries. These Turkish migrants are confronted with a degree of social exclusion - in Germany they are not considered to be German and are not included in important demographic discourses. Further, this group is seen by the majority society as the subject of many stereotypes. In addition, Turkish society no longer views these people as 'real' Turks, instead they are classified as "Almanci". But their own concepts of identity are in contrary to external perceptions from both societies. They consider Germany one of their home countries however they also see themselves as Turks. The different perceptions of these migrants by the German and Turkish society and the difference in self perception creates the potential for conflict among this triad.