Long-Distance Politics and Diaspora Youth

Abstract

Since the Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP)’s rise to power in 2002, Turkey’s interest in its diaspora has increased dramatically. The establishment of new diaspora institutions and the extension of new social and political rights to expatriates from Turkey are some of the key indicators of Turkey’s policy change in diaspora affairs. This is an unprecedented development given that Turkey’s pre-2000 diaspora policy prioritized the inflow of remittances from overseas Turkish citizens and the surveillance of Turkish political and religious opposition movements in Europe. This chapter focuses on an understudied aspect of Turkey’s long-distance politics: the incumbent party’s youth-tailored diaspora engagement policies and what they seek to achieve. This chapter demonstrates that, unlike its previous economic- and security-oriented scope, Turkey’s new diaspora engagement agenda has become increasingly tasked with renewing ties with and providing new cultural and political engagement channels to Turkey’s post-migrant generations. Turkey expects its diaspora youth to improve the country’s international image, to secure a strong Turkish presence in Europe, and to defend Ankara’s interests abroad. The analysis presented draws on a wide range of sources: official documents, websites, press statements; secondary literature; policymakers’ speeches; and media sources.