Bulgaristan Türklerinin Göç ve Kimlik Deneyimleri: Zorlukların ve Güçlenmenin Kuşaklararası Aktarımı

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the disempowering and empowering experiences of Bulgarian Turks who directly and indirectly experienced the 1989 migration, in constructing their identities and everyday lives, within the framework of the widely accepted notion that migration-related challenging life experiences affect not only the directly impacted generations but also subsequent ones. A qualitative research approach was employed as the research method to analyse narratives for understanding and reconstructing the subjective experiences of a community related to a specific phenomenon. During the data collection phase, participant observation and in-depth interview techniques were utilized to understand how Bulgarian Turks conceptualize power, investigate intergenerational transmission mechanisms, and identify sources of power. In this context, in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 first-generation Bulgarian Turks residing in Ankara, Bursa, Istanbul, and Tekirdağ, who directly experienced the 1989 migration, as well as 15 second-generation Bulgarian Turks, who did not directly experience the migration but are now adults residing in Ankara, Bursa, Istanbul, Tekirdağ, London, and Kardzhali. The collected data were analysed considering disempowering and empowering effects experienced in physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual dimensions, as well as within family systems, collective identity, and cultural and social contexts. The first-generation Bulgarian Turks, who metaphorically describe their lives as “rootless trees seeking a place”, emerged as individuals who, despite being unable to access psychosocial support during the challenging experiences before migration, and while being simultaneously included as Turkish-Muslims in the inclusive narratives of political actors yet excluded within unfamiliar political and economic systems, managed to discover and utilize their sources of power to withstand adversity, serving as models of empowerment. On the other hand, it was revealed that the second-generation Bulgarian Turks, who were neither victims nor direct witnesses of these challenging experiences, were nonetheless influenced through intergenerational transmission mechanisms. Despite appearing to share the same resources as their parents, they demonstrated different dynamics of disempowerment and empowerment and were significantly affected by inadequate public services. Ultimately, a framework for social work practices targeting Bulgarian Turks was developed, and recommendations for long-term psychosocial support services and social policies addressing migrant communities were proposed in the context of migration management.